Blonde Boy with Blue Eyes
by peetagoreantheorem12
Summary: Katniss and her friends are junior in Panem High. One day, she sees a sophomore, who has blonde hair and blue eyes, she can't help herself but notice him. But the problem is, the boy is shy and quiet, he is very different to the other guys she knows, what will she do? Read and find out how their relationship will grow.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It's the first day of classes and Glimmer and Madge are already annoying the hell out of me by sending me these stupid texts about how this school year is going to rock. I sigh and stare out of the window of the car. I'm not expecting anything this year and I don't want anything to happen that involves me in it. As long as I can pass Algebra 2 then I'll gladly consider my year as a good year. That thought brings me to my indescribable hatred for Math. I never understand why we have to study that. Do we use Pythagorean theorem or radicals in buying a pack of potato chips? Obviously no. So what's the point of studying those concept... I shake my head and sigh. I want to slap myself for thinking about Math in the morning.

_That's not how to start a day_. I scold myself. _Anyway, you don't have a chance in Math._

I barely notice Prim, who is playing games on her iPad, and I decided to ask her how she is.

"Ahhh, I'm a bit nervous and excited. How about you, Katniss?" She says as she automatically smiles at me.

"Well, I'm still sleepy." I yawn "I want to stay at home and sleep." I say as I run my hand through my shirt.

Our driver, Gloss, who is very attractive for a driver, is the one that brings us and picks us up to school, but most of the time just Prim, since I have my own car but when I get so lazy I go with them, like now. I look at Gloss and he sees me and he smiles and I can't help but think that he is really attractive. Glimmer, my friend, was right. She admitted once to me that she has a crush on h . . . Ughhh, that bitch, I blame her for making me this very giggly girl. Anyway, Gloss is older than me by many years, so there is no chance that what I'm thinking could come true. Plus, he's already like a brother to me.

My mother, who is busy working all day in the hospital and managing our meat factory business, can't really be there for us. We were not able to spend time together that much since my father died. She worked extra hard and gave us all the things that we needed, I can't blame her for that, but sometimes I can't help but feel . . . abandoned, since she was not there for us when we needed her love and care.

We reached the school and I quickly headed to my locker and just like what I expected, Glimmer, Madge and Annie were already there waiting for me. I ignored them as I filled my locker with my stuffs.

"Katniss!" Glimmer shouts.

I give her an annoyed face and shout back at her. "You don't have to shout, I'm just here!"

She pouts "Sorry,"

Annie smiles at me and says "So what's the ne . . ." she stops and looks at me wide eye "look at your back" I did and see, Cato. The guy with 'nice abs', just like what everyone was saying. He is with his friends and he has his arms around a girl. I can say that Cato is hot, but I'm not really into him, something about those big muscles and menacing looks intimidate me.

"Oh, you can have him." I reply.

"Katniss, I'm not the one who needs a love life, it's you who need it."

"Really? Who told you?" It didn't stop her and she told me about how much it would be nice to have a relationship. I tuned her out and watched the way Madge's shoes hit the floor as we walk down the corridor.

I have no idea why these people want me to have a love life. I've told them already that I didn't need it. But they kept on telling me to have one until I just get used to it and it became our morning routine. I was not really into boys. I thought they were all the same and dating someone won't get me an A in my report card.

Glimmer and Annie headed to their class, while Madge and I headed to ours.

We're walking quietly until Madge spoke.

"I wonder what this year will bring us" she said with a smirk

"Shut up" She rolled her eyes at me as I grab my phone that was vibrating.

Glimmer.

_Katniss. I have Literature with Cato and Gale. :))))))) _I didn't reply because I knew that she'll be flooding me with messages if I give her a clue of my invisible presence.

We reached the classroom and we received multiple stares in the class, I hate to say this but I'm one of those popular kids, who don't even know that they are popular until they heard their names being said by group of students who are having lunch in the bathroom and they see their name written on the cubicle of the boys wash room... or sometimes girls' wash room.

We are greeted by a glare from Miss Effie Trinket, the rainbow, as we call her because of her colorful garments, wigs, make up and other stuffs that will either annoy you or distract you from her class. I scowl and we take our seats.

The discussion is very boring and the rainbow just talks about fashion, I don't know how it is connected with arts, the subject that she is teaching, but anyway I'm not really listening to her so I don't care. After a few more minutes of torture, she finally dismisses us.

"Okay class, you may leave." _Yeah_! I think

Madge and I went in the canteen as she filled me in about the best summer of her life, where she got to make out with a hot Greek-God-looking man. She giggled and I pretended to giggle. The first person I see when we entered the cafeteria was Gale, another hot guy. We had an eye contact but I quickly break it. Though I saw him smile before I turned my head away.

"Oh gosh, tell me what just happened." Glimmer asks who popped out of nowhere with Madge trailing behind her. Gale always has a scowl on his face, like I do, which makes the 3 girls think that we would look good together, but all I can see is world war III, when I think of that possibility.

"Oh big deal, he looked back at us." I say sarcastically.

"Katniss, why do you have to be so bitter?" Madge asks

"I'm not bitter, shut up." I was not even done with my defense when Annie freaks out.

"Oh girl, there's Finnick!" she giggles. I look at the guy whose wearing a shirt that is too fit and a pants that is too loose. I can't help but think that this is his way to lure girls into bed... or in the janitor's closet.

"You can have him, too pretty for a guy, that's your taste right, pretty boys." I say

Annie just stares at him lovingly, as if I didn't say anything. Madge looks at me and says.

"Has she hooked up with Finnick?" she points to Annie. "She seems to be under his spell."

"I think so." I reply.

Glimmer gasps. "So lucky! I've been daydreaming about him touching my boobs for the last few months."

Glimmer and Madge continued talking and Annie joined in. I finished eating my sandwich and I decided to get Glimmer's grapes when I look up and see, Gale, Finnick and Cato standing beside our table.

Cato speaks first

"Uhm, Katniss and girls."

I raise an eyebrow. "Yes."

"I know this is too straight to the point, but, would you like to go to my party later?"

I feel the excitement of the 3 girls around me, and I receive a text message. Before I read the text, I've promised to myself that I wouldn't listen to them.

_Annie: If you don't say yes, I swear to God, I will kill you_

_Madge: Katniss, just this time you agree then I'll give you whatever you want_

_O.A._ I think

_Glimmer: Katniss please, I've been dying to go to a Cato Party._

I decided that I'll say no when I look up and see the 3 girls glaring at me intensely. I don't think, when I reply "I'll think about it." I suddenly wanted to take it back. I bit my tounge and called myself stupid for 12 times.

He seems disappointed but I don't really care.

"Oh, okay, but I really wish you can make it." Finnick smiles warmly, probably trying to charm us. Gale just keeps quiet, though I can see in his eyes that he is distracted.

When they left, giggle erupted in our table. And I immediately wished that I'll collapse right now so I'll have an excuse to not go to the party. I'm feeling something bad about this party and those boys were probably up to something. If they were not, then why would they invite us.

"Oh my, hot guys invited us to their party." Madge screeches.

I roll my eyes and I call myself stupid again for not saying no. I look at my side and that's where I feel like the world is in slow mo.

As they giggle, I can't help the fast beat of my heart, as I see this really cute boy, wearing glasses and has blonde hair. I stare at him as he silently purchases his meal, I watch his actions, which I already find very attractive. He cleans the lens of his eyeglasses and I can't help but feel that he seems so adorable. I was so caught up in the moment that disappointment courses through me when he quickly leaves. I'm feeling an inside Katniss jumping up and down, and I curse myself for it. _Katniss, that is Glimmer style not yours._

As the bell rings, and we head back to our classes all I can think is that the rest of the day seems blurry since all I can think of is this mysterious guy whose name I don't even know.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Do I like him?_ My gosh, no, how can I fall for a person that I don't even know. Katniss Everdeen is not that type of girl.

I convince myself to stop thinking about him and just decide that I'll go to the party of Cato and his friends, I'm not sure why they invited us, but I find it a great opportunity to have fun and get my mind clear.

I call Glimmer, Annie and Madge to go to my house and pick me up. I tell them that we will go to the party, which makes them so excited, as I wait for them I check Prim.

I open her room and see her listening to music.

"Prim?"

She removes her earphones and smiles at me. My sister and I haven't spent much time together in summer because I continued archery and she had a piano lesson.

"How was school?" I ask.

She plays with her blonde hair . . . blonde hair. Oh damn it. "It's nice, I like arts, it was really fun."

"Well, you just have proven again, how different we are."

She looks at me, confused and I smile. "I hate arts." And we laugh.

We go in the living room and watch TV. My sister loves ANTM, so we watch it, during the middle of the episode, I remember something.

"By the way, Prim I'm going to a party."

She looks excited which makes me wonder. "Really, that's great Katniss!"

I raise an eyebrow. "What makes it so shocking?"

"Katniss, it's been a long time, since you have fun and go to parties."

I smirk. "Well, I've been busy with my archery and helping mom in the business."

"Oh" she nods, "By the way, Katniss" she looks down "uhmm. . . can I go to Rue's house?"

I scowl at her, I don't normally give that to her but when I have to, I do it. "And why?"

"We will just play and he has . . . boy pr-problems."

My scowl gets deeper, not because of annoyance, but because I'm shocked that Rue has a love life already when she's only 12. I take a deep breath to answer, but the door bell rings.

I stand up. "We're not yet done."

I open the front door, and see the girls. They are wearing short shorts and see through shirt which makes me conscious that my sense in fashion sucks, jeans and a shirt. I should have listened to rainbow's class. They all seem excited but when they see what I am wearing, their smiles turn to frowns.

"Katniss, what the hell are you wearing?" Annie complains

"I know you don't have to point it out."

"Katniss, you need to change! It's not. . . not so" Madge stops and she clears her troath, "girly" I know she means something worse, but Madge knows that messing up with me will not be so good for her.

"I'm comfortable with this!"

"Seriously Katniss, how can guys notice you if you're wearing something like that?" Annie says. "

I know she's just telling the truth but I can't help but get annoyed. I'm about to answer back, when Prim does.

"Well, she doesn't have to wear something like you're wearing to get attention, she just have to pass by and guys would already notice her."

Annie looks shocked and I'm about to give Prim a smile with matching hug, when I remember something.

"Even if you said that, I will still not allow you to go to Rue's house, it's already evening and it's not safe."

"But Katniss."

"I said no."

With that we leave.

When we get to Cato's house, Madge whispers at me. "I'm still not convinced about your outfit."

"Madge" I sigh, "if they won't notice me then they don't. I don't really care."

I don't know if she's concerned about me or she just wants me to hook up with a guy.

"Fine don't cry to me, when someone insults you."

Madge always thinks that everything should be perfect, I want to tell her sometimes to stop minding others business, but I can't and I won't since I understand her.

Glimmer moves closer to me and whispers. "Don't worry, you can cry to me."

That's what I like about Glimmer, she's stupid, like when I can ask her to buy me ice cream every Monday and Friday for free.

Madge rings the doorbell and Finnick opens the door for us.

"Katniss," he looks at me "Girls . . . I'm glad you came." He sings along with the song that is playing inside.

"Yeah we're glad we're here." Annie says and I notice the seduction tone in her voice, she really likes Finnick. We all stand there awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Until Finnick shouts.

"Ahh- Co- Come in!" And we do.

The room is so chaotic, people are making out, drinking and dancing. Glimmer already has a drink in her hand, Madge is dancing with some guys and Annie is nowhere to be found. I see Cato and a petite, brunette girl, Cato pushes her away, and he looks at my direction, he waves at me and I wave back, then I turn around.

When I sit down, I heard some girls, who I guess are sophomores, talking about this new guy in class. . . _the blonde boy_. I think.

"Oh, the blonde guy with glasses." One of them says. I reply in my mind. _Yes that's him._

"He's cute, but that's it. Nothing special, not my type." The other girl says.

Out of nowhere, I suddenly feel furious to that girl for saying that. I want to punch her in the face but my curiosity wins and I continue listening to them.

I listen secretly at their conversation and this is what I heard.

He's good at drawing and Math.

He lives 57 blocks away from me, which I quickly calculate in my mind.

His family owns the bakery downtown.

His favorite color is orange, which I found weird, since the rainbow has an orange wig that she wears during Wednesday.

"KATNISS!" I look around and see Cato. "Come here." I walk towards him and I'm already feeling, lots of eyes, looking at me.

"Cato." I greet formally.

He licks his lips, I guess he's drunk "enjoying the party?"

"Yeah, it's great." I lie, the truth, is that I'm so bored and I want to go home, the only highlight of the night, is the information I get about the blonde boy.

"Anyway," Before I know it, his lips are already on mine. Damn it. I feel my face heat up and anger fills my whole being. I pull away and slap him on the face hard, really hard, that I think it might bruise, no kidding. The whole room suddenly gets quiet. I move away and run outside the door ignoring, Glimmer and Madge.

Why didn't I see it coming? It's so humiliating, I'm so sure everyone has seen it; I swear if I see that whore walking around the street, I will stuck an arrow at his eyes. He is a whore, he will regret doing that.

I know it's just a kiss, and I've been kissed before, but with Cato, it's different. He has a reputation with girls and I don't want it to look like that I also fell into his trap. I ignore Glimmer and Madge's calls, then I remember Annie, I haven't seen her since we entered the room. I run faster and before I know it, I'm already at our house.

_Damn it! I should have brought my car._

I look at the garage and I see mom's car. She's home but she's probably sleeping. When I open the door, I see mom scolding Prim. I suddenly feel over protective that I shout at her.

"What is that?" I'm about to say more when I remember that Mom will never scold Prim for some little mistakes, it must have been something really bad and I think I know what it is.

They both look back, mom looks so stressed and by the look on Prim's face, I can say that she is really guilty, which confirms my suspicion.

"It's just your little sister went out of the house alone in the middle of the night."

What's up with all of this? My anger returns but this time it's combined with worry. "Prim, I told you not to go outside, when did you learn to do something like that."

"I know Katniss, it's my fault, I admit it. But I'm fine, in fact a really nice guy helped me to get home."

"But still Primrose, you don't even know the guy, what if . . ." I stop, knowing that's inappropriate to say something like that. "Mom, you should confiscate her iPad."

Mom nods.

"What? No! I swear the guy was really nice, he even gave me cookies."

"Stop making excuses! And how the hell will you know that he is really nice."

She stands up, she always does that, when she's about to defend something. "I can see it in his warm blue eyes, I don't want to sound cocky, but I have a way of knowing, even though, I can't fully see his eyes because of his glasses, I can still say that he's genuinely nice."

Her statement stops me and suddenly, I think I know who the guy is when all the dots connect, the cookies, the blue eyes, the glasses and even the fact that he just lives 57 blocks away from us has a connection, since Rue lives 51 blocks away therefore he must have seen her alone.

Instead of saying something against what she says, I say.

"Is he blonde?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Hi guys this is the 3rd chapter. Review please, even negative or positive. Thank you. **

"Katniss, where the hell is he?"

Madge asks.

I look around to see if someone heard what she says. "Madge, be quiet."

I told Madge about the blonde boy because I am dying to tell someone, I know this sounds mean but I trust her more than Glimmer and Annie and I bet she can help me stalk. . . I mean, learn more about him. I ignore the complaints of controlled Katniss for a while and I just let giggly Katniss take over me.

We are in the covered court for the campaign of those students who want to be part of the student council. Madge and I thought that maybe the blonde boy will be here since almost everyone is here.

"Why can't you know his name? If we know it, I could have searched it already." She sighs impatiently. "We've been looking for him for maybe 25 minutes and he's still not here. Are you sure he's a real human, not a guy of your dreams that you just created in your mind?" she whispers.

"I told you to shut up."

"Fine, just tell me when you see him already."

We are so focused at looking for the unknown guy that we didn't notice the people looking at us and probably gossiping about me, it has been happening for a week already I try to ignorethem, but I'm not a rock so I still get affected by it. Cato apologized to me, but I didn't accept it, instead he received another slap in the face.

"Madge" I whisper

"What? Where is he?"

"No, not him!" And suddenly she realizes what's happening around us and she whispers at me. "Do you think they are talking about the. . . you know" I reply at her with a scowl.

"Everyone" Madge raises her hands. "It's rude . .. to stare." She says slowly. Without thinking I add my favorite threatening line. "Continue what you guys are doing, and I'll stuck an arrow at your eyes." And I scowl.

I know people think that I meant what I said because almost everyone turns their back at us, I know that they know that I play archery and they might have taken it seriously.

Mr. Abernathy, our guidance counselor proceeds to the stage and announces what we all know already, He is a crazy man who loves to drink but I heard that when he's not drunk he's actually cool. After waiting for an eternity, the candidates give their speech.

The first one is Clove, she seems familiar but I can't remember where and when I see her, she proposes that every guy who will be caught cheating on their girlfriend will be forced to go back to their original girlfriend. Stupid, Desperate ex-girlfriend. She received positive screams to some girls, and flying tomatoes from some guys.

The next one is Finnick Odair, who promises that every month a big party will happen and everyone will be invited. He also says that girls can get kiss from him, if they vote for him.

The last one is a red hair girl who looks like a fox, I am currently looking for the blonde guy again when someone pulls me and when I look who did that, I see that it is Gale, I am so shocked that I just let him pull me until we're outside. I try to remove his grip but he's too strong. When he sees that no one is around, he stops.

"Look, I've just been forced to do this, so don't try to punch me." I am actually planning for that already, so Thank God, he warned me.

"So, what do you want?"

He scowls at me. "I don't want anything from you, that guy is the one who wants something." I feel my heart beat rapidly, thinking of the possibility that Gale and the blonde guy might be friends and he wants to meet with me. But when I look around, my cute little daydream collapses to form another daydream about punching and kicking and arrow stucking. It's Cato!

I prepare to punch him, but his words stop me.

"C'mon Katniss, I am so sorry, you know, I didn't mean to do that." I look around and see Gale walking away from us, and suddenly I'm pissed that he left me with this whore.

Cato takes a deep breath and says.

"I know Katniss, it's not good, but I promise that I won't do it again if you give me a chance, a-a cha-chance to properly ask you out."

Ask me out! What the hell is he thinking!

"You're annoying! I will never do that!"

Cato's eyes are suddenly fill with pain, and I feel bad that I say something like that. So, I offer something to him.

"You can eat lunch with us today, uhmm, you and your friends, but, bu-but that's it and after that you'll stop asking me out."

His eyes light up a bit, but I can still see pain there. "Okay." And I walk out.

I cut classes with Glimmer, the whole day. I listen to her bitch about how she wants to kill her neighbor's cat, since that cat ate her hamster.

"I was so pissed that I kicked it's ass and you know what, I cry the whole day, since I can't give my hamster a really nice funeral, since she was inside the stupid cat's stomach. And you know what Katniss, the only way for the funeral to happen is if I kill the cat, since she's in the stoma. . ." I can't take it.

"Is the cat you're talking about Buttercup?"

"No, Katniss, why?" I suddenly get disappointed.

"Nothing, anyway, Glimmer, Cato and his friends will be eating lunch with us."

She throws the muffin that she is eating. "No way!"

"Well! Yes Way!"

"Oh my gosh Katniss, let's go in the canteen, it's already lunch anyway!"

And so we did.

When we get there, Finnick, Cato Gale, Johanna, I didn't know they were friends, Annie and Madge are already sitting around a table. When we join them, I notice that the whole room is looking at us. I scowl and the scowl did it job.

"You two, why are you not in class?" Madge asks.

"Obviously, we skip classes."

We are silent for like 8 minutes, until Finnick speaks up.

"So are you all voting for me? Don't forget about the reward girls" he says seductively

Annie speaks first. "Hell, yeah!"

The others agree. And Cato asks me. "Will you vote for him, Katniss?"

"Uhmm, I think."

"I thought you won't" he gives me a sweet smile.

Suddenly, I feel someone tap me and quickly slap me in the face. When I look up, it's Clove and I shout.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"You are my problem, you slut!"

The whole room is quiet, just like what happened when Cato kissed me at the party.

I slap her back and she pulls my hair. Cato gets in between but, Clove kicks him hard on his groin. "You whore, did you broke up with me because of her!"

Now I'm sure why she looked familiar, she was the girl that Cato pushed in his party.

"No Clove!"

"Stop denying, I know it!" She faces me and slaps me, but I didn't feel the slap, because Mr. Abernathy stops her.

"Clove and Katniss go with me." Mr. Abernathy is a ninja!

We go to his office and he says that Clove is disqualified for student council and I will get a detention, I complain but he just cuts me off. "I know what I'm doing, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that!"

"Fine… " he smirks "sweetheart!" he laughs hard and dismisses us. When we open the door out of his office, gossipers are all over the hall way, Clove runs in the bathroom crying, and I go to my class.

After classes, Madge, Glimmer and Annie talk to me about how, they're planning a revenge, I told them her consequence, but they said it's not enough. I go to my detention, and … I was late.

Mr. Abernathy was already there and he asks us to do some work about the story, Metamorphosis.

"I will send you some copy, coz for now I have to . ."

"DRINK!" I smile.

He smirks, "Thanks, sweetheart."

Madge texts me about their plan, I'm not really into it but I don't have a choice but to reply and suddenly the room opens and I hide my phone.

I feel my face heat up, as he enters the room. I study his feature, his blonde curly hair, his blue eyes . . . he is a beautiful boy. I fight the urge to stand up and go to him and I guess I succeed. When he speaks, I swear I almost die, it's . . . sweet, shy and a little bit sexy at the same time.

"Mr. Abernathy wants you to read this, and if you have read it already, then he wants you to write your reaction about it." He clears his throat. "Uhmmm, here are the copies."

He gives the copy at the first and the second line and then at my line, thank God, I sit at the front. When he gives the copies to me, it falls, yes the longer he stays her, the longer I'll get to admire his awesomeness. We get the papers at the same time and I say.

"Uhmmm, sorry . . . " I give him a look that is my way to ask what's your name? He puts his hands inside his pocket. Giggly Katniss, turns to super giggly Katniss, his actions are sexy and I think he doesn't know it.

"No need to be sorry, it's my fault." Damn him, he's so nice, but he still hasn't answer my unasked question so I do it, I don't want to miss this chance. I waited for this moment and now it is here.

"You are?"

"Peeta, Peeta Mellark." OH! Peeta! Finally! I try to think of something else, like I know your favorite color, but he might think that I'm a stalker, well maybe I am a stalker afterall.

"I'm Katniss."

He smiles so sweetly, that it melts my heart and my heart beats faster. And faster. And he replies smoothly.

"I know."

**So here we go, Katniss knows his name already, I might post another chapter on Friday or Saturday, since I'm really busy at school. I would want to receive reviews, like I said above. Thank YOU! AGAIN!**


	4. Chapter 4

Review please, thank you :)))

Chapter 4

"Holy crap!" Glimmer shouts as she looks at the picture on my phone. She passes it to Madge and she also says "Holy crap!" I totally understand why Glimmer, Madge and even I have the same response when we saw the picture because it's totally Holy Crap! Really, Finnick and Annie making out!

"Guys, you're just making me more scared!" Annie cries out.

"We know that, but that picture was totally holy crap!" Madge says.

"Wait, I don't even know that you and Finnick are hooking up!" Glimmer says and the memories of Finnick and Annie flirting with each other and the fact that Annie was missing in Cato's party surge through my mind.

"Just let me explain later and tell me what the hell to do!"

"Ignore them, that's what I will do, if I were you." I say

"But Katniss, I was not you."

"Oh c'mon, as if the whole school knew it, let's just go!"

When we get out of my car, I see Peeta, oh what a day to start!

I told Madge about my encounter with Peeta and I show her Peeta's picture and she asked me what kind of taste do I have, which was the cause why her arms are bruised.

I elbow Madge and point Peeta, she studies his features and whispers at me.

"Katniss, girl, you're right, he's cute."

I smirk. "Told ya'."

"I actually just need a second look to see how good he looks." She giggles and I shoot her a glare.

I leave them behind and pick up my speed to catch up to Peeta and say hi to him. I want to make an excuse to be able to walk with him. This boy is really getting into me, I spent my whole night last night, looking at his pictures in his profile, and trying to make a speech if ever we meet, I guess I could use it today.

When I am almost at his side, I greet him.

"Peeta." He looks back at me and he smiles.

"Katniss." The way he says my name brings something warm in my chest, there's something in it that is. . . different.

I am now at his side, but I can't remember anything from my speech that I made last night, I slightly panicked that I might make a fool of myself but he says.

"Why are you alone? Where are your friends or. . . your boyfriend?"

I ask wondering. "Boyfriend?"

"Uhmm, I though you were dating Ga-Gale." What? He thought I was dating Gale, all along that's what he was thinking.

"NO! We're not dating, I'm not dating anyone."

He blushes and I feel myself starting to blush to, I don't know why he blushes but I know mine is because he looks cuter when he does that. He mutters a sorry and he wouldn't look at me because of maybe, shame? I don't know.

"No Peeta, it's okay."

He laughs a bit but I can say that it is forced. "Okay." But he still wouldn't look at me.

"Really, Peeta it's okay, I'm not mad."

And now he does look at me. "Well I thought, you will punch me in the face. Uhmm, I guess I'll see you around."

I smile. "You will, we will see each other around." And then we separate ways.

When I get to my first class, I see Madge, and I feel bad that I left them a while ago. The rainbow is our teacher and she is not yet here. I sit beside Madge and she asks me what happened, I blush and I tell her. Then she tells me what happened to Annie, when Delly and her crew mess with her because of the picture. I suddenly feel guiltier than ever for leaving them behind. Delly could have gotten a punch already if I was there but at the same time, I don't regret doing it.

Madge and I go to the canteen after we were dismissed. I see Annie and Glimmer at the table and Delly and some girls around them. As I pass the people around, I think they know that some drama is going to happen. When I get near the table, I clear my throat, they look back at me and I scowl.

"Excuse me?" Delly raises an eyebrow at me.

"Fuck you, bitch, get out of our table."

"I won't unless this stupid slut." She points at Annie "learns her lesson."

"Shut up." I feel Annie's hand on my shoulders, trying to stop me.

Delly looks at me like she wants to cut my head and she says angrily. "Well I'm just saying the fucking truth! First you steal Cato, and now that slutty girl beside you is trying to get Finnick!."

I am not able to handle the rage that I'm feeling and without thinking I punch her in the face, she tries to slap me but I see Glimmer pull her hair and slap her hard. Delly's friends try to help her in the fight, but Madge and Annie stop them by pushing them and slapping them. I'm about to punch Delly again, when I see Annie pushing Delly on the ground.

"This is for all the humiliation you gave me." She slaps her hard.

"This is for stealing Lucas to me during 8th grade." Another slap

"And this last is for spreading that picture, you little bitch" And she slaps her really hard.

The whole room was in shock, and I admit me either, but just a little.

Out of nowhere, Mr. Abernathy is on our side again, telling us to go with him in his office. He really is a ninja and I wonder how he can do this when he's always drunk.

When we get to his office, we tell him the whole story, and we will have detention, again, well for me, again.

Mr. Abernathy asks us to leave but I stay because I want to ask him something that has been on my mind since my last detention.

"Okay, so what do you want?"

"I was just wondering because in my last deten.. ."

"Just go straight to your point, sweetheart."

"Fine! Mr. Abernathy, how do you know Peeta?"

"Why? Do you like him?" he grins cockily.

"What? No!" Yes, I do! "Where the hell did you get that?"

"Well, I can see how your eyes lit up when you said his name" he says dreamily What? Really?

I blush and he laughs. "Don't worry, sweetheart, your secret is safe with me."

Deep inside I sigh, but I tell him, "You don't have to keep a secret, because there's nothing to keep."

"Ooookay!" But I can say that he is not convinced "Anyway, let's go back to your question, Peeta's father and I are friends and I know that boy since he was a little kid."

Ooooh, so he probably knows a lot of things about him and I smile but I quickly cover it up, and say "Favoritism."

"It's not sweetheart! Now go to your class and I'll meet you later in your second detention."

I stand up and when I'm in his door, he calls me. "Anyway sweetheart, just call me, Haymitch when no one's around." I nod. "Okay Haymitch." And I scowl but with a smile.

The day quickly passes by and for some reason I am exited to go to detention.

I head to my detention and the girls are already there, I scowl at Delly and I notice that she has bruise on her face, that's what you get for messing with us. I sit between Madge and Glimmer. Annie still looked pissed off, well who wouldn't?

Glimmer whispers at me. "Finnick has been ignoring Annie since the picture came out and Annie was really upset about that."

"Well, he's a douche bag."

Glimmer looks shocked and whispers again. "He might have a good reason,"

Well Glimmer always sees the positive in everything, I wish I have that attitude.

I wait for a teacher to come and much to my shock, the rainbow gets in. I look at the people around me and they have the same expression as I have. This is gonna be torture.

The rainbow asks us to just sit on our chairs and reflect, for some it's only 20 minutes but for us, it's an hour. I waited for her to get out but she doesn't, she just keeps her eyes on us. After 20 minutes, the others leave, as I wait, I think of the possibility that Peeta might come again. Another 20 minutes have passed. And another 20 again. When it's over, the rainbow speaks up.

"Okay, now, girls, will you still do what you did?"

"Depends on the situation." I say

"Right, now can we go?" Delly asks rudely.

"Ofcourse all of you can go," then she glares at Delly, "But, you stay here for another 10 minutes, you rude child."

"What?! No!" Delly complains.

"Yes!" And then we leave.

"Whoah, that's what it feels like to have a detention" Glimmer says.

When we reach the parking lot, I see Cato, Finnick and Gale and I say. "Look, the douche is there."

The 3 guys also see us and I am ready to say these lame words to Finnick when he runs to Annie and hugs her.

"Annie," he grabs her face with his hands. "look at me." And she does.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, I just want people to think that it is nothing for us, so they will stop but I guess I was wrong. I haven't thought that it would end up like this."

Annie looks at him with full of love and hope in her eyes. "Really?"

"Really,"

"You're not joking."

"I am not joking, I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"No matter what happen, I want you to know that I really like you and that I have good reasons in everything that I do."

Lame! I don't wanna hear this anymore. I clear my throat. "So, I guess, we should go."

"Oh yeah, we should." Madge says. "And I guess you boys should go too."

They nod but before I can turn back, I caught Gale staring at me. Creepy. I quickly turn away from him and I see Peeta sitting on the bench. Madge and I look at each other and without saying anything we go to him.

"Hey you need a ride." I say, Glimmer seems shocked since I never give anyone a ride except for them.

"Oh, no thanks, I'll just wait for my dad." Oh, how cute, daddy's boy. I can't help but smile at that thought, he must have understand what I was thinking because he blushes.

"I'm not a daddy's boy, if that was what you were thinking."

I smile sweetly and I'm already feeling the curiosity energy coming out of Glimmer.

"C'mon, I can give you a ride, it's okay."

He thinks for a while and finally he smiles and stands up. "Well, I guess I need it, thank you."

We walk towards my car, but as we walk, I can feel the eyes of the sophomore girls at Peeta, giggling and blushing, I heard one of them say. "Do you think he knows?"

What the. . . I suddenly felt possessive and I grab Peeta's arm and lead him towards the car. When I look back at them, their mouths are hanging open and I smirk at myself.

Madge and Glimmer sit at the backseat and Peeta sit beside me. I receive a text from Glimmer, asking me to explain all of this, and I shout, "Later." I don't have to text her back as if Peeta would know that it's about him.

The drive is awkward since Glimmer and Madge are in the back and they might hear what I will say to Peeta, and he doesn't have to admit it but he really is a daddy's boy, he called his dad, and told him that a friend will drop him at their house and after their conversation, Peeta said I love you to his dad. I know some girls might be turn off by this but not me.

We drop off the 2 girls and it is just me and him.

"So, you turn left and then. . . " I'm not really listening since I know where he lives. When we get to his house, he says "It seems weird that a girl just gave me a ride but anyway, thanks." I feel dumb that I didn't use my time with him wisely.

"Anytime Peeta."

"I owe you a ride, iffff I get my drivers license after my birthday."

"You don't really have to, but I would love it, if you give me a ride." I smile.

We remain silent for an awkward minute before he says.

"I gotta go and I-I-I gotta say, that" he bites his lips "I enjoy your company, and I hope, we can, you know, maybe, hang out more." He sighs and gets out of the car and mutters another bye. I wait for him to get inside their house and just like what I expected he looks back and smile and so I smile back too.

As I drive home, I wonder, is he interested in friendship or in something more? Because I'm definitely up for that.


	5. Chapter 5

**Keep reading if you want and if you want to suggest something, pm me or review**

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Chapter 5

Days have passed by fast, and today is the day before Halloween comes. Nothing major has happened in the last few weeks. Peeta told me that he wanted to hang out more and much to my frustration; we haven't out yet since we've both been busy lately.

So instead of thinking about him, I decided to go shopping with Prim for her  
Halloween Costume.

"Katniss, what do you think?" she shows me the costume that she picks, some sort of white lady.

Even though, I don't have much of knowledge about costumes I just nod.

I received a text from Annie, asking me if I could come to the monthly party of Finnick, this has been happening since Finnick won the election. I never come to that party and I never will, uhmm, maybe some time but definitely not today. I reply no!

"Prim, have you gotten all that you needed."

She smiles. "Yes Katniss, thanks for coming with me."

"Anytime Prim."

Prim showed me an arrow keychain, I thought she will be giving it to me but she says.

"Gonna give this to dad tomorrow at the cemetery." I smile but what she says just makes me miss dad.

Gloss stands up from where he is sitting, I think he thought that we will be going home, but I say.

"Gloss, we'll eat dinner, you can come with us."

Gloss hesitates, though he nods. I treat Gloss, like he's my brother. He started working for us when I was 10. He was only 18 back then, I don't know the whole story why my father picked him as a driver, all I know is that his father was dead and his father was my father's friend. I don't want to ask him because I don't want to bring back to him those memories.

After we eat, we go home. I receive another text from Annie, asking me if I change my mind about the party, I didn't reply because I don't want to and I have to help Prim for her costume.

As I sit with my laptop on my lap, I view Peeta's profile for like the hundred times. I see a new picture, a picture of him playing the piano; he is wearing a blue long sleeve which makes his eyes pop out. I giggle a bit but I shut my laptop when I realize that from someone's point of view, I really, am obsessing.

I head to Prim's room, she is already dress in her costume.

"Katniss,"

"Well little duck," I look at her from head to toe. "Not bad." I smirk.

She rolls her eyes. "I know Katniss, now can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything, duckling."

"Uhmm, can you drive me to Rue's house."

An idea crosses my mind, Rue just lives close to Peeta's house, so if will drive her I will have an excuse of seeing him. I giggle again at the thought and silently praise myself. Prim looks at me suspiciously and I say.

"Sure, let's go, I'll just change clothes." I change to a girly shirt that fits with my blue skirt, and I put a bit of eyeliner and foundation then, I put my lip gloss on my pocket. Inappropriate for Halloween, but appropriate at meeting Peeta.

Rue's house is actually not that far, but I prefer driving than walking. As we pass by the house, I see little children, doing treat or trick, I think of the times when I was a kid, and my father will help me in my costume, even though, I didn't like candies that much, I always love doing trick or treat since, my father and I got to bond a lot during those days.

We stop at Rue's house; we get out of the car. Prim presses the door bell, and I immediately look at Peeta's house from a far, I think of him in a costume and I smile as I imagine it.

After a minute, Rue comes out of their house, I haven't seen her for a long time so I give her a hug.

"Katniss, you can leave now, if you want, I guess I'll just walk home."

"Oh, I think I'll just wait for you, I'll just go to a . . ." I think of the perfect word to describe my relationship with Peeta, I'm not sure if we're friends or we just know each other my name, but still I add. "Friend."

"Okay, Katniss."

Prim and Rue talk and they laugh and much to my surprise we head in the same direction, to Peeta's house.

"Prim, Rue, where are you going?"

"To, Mr. Mellark, he is really generous, he gives cookies and candies." Rue replies.

"And his sons are really cute." Prim says

Sons, oh well, I guess Peeta's brother. I smile and I want to reply 'ofcourse' but I didn't.

Prim and Rue join some little girls and when we reach Peeta's house. Altogether they shout. "Trick or Treat." I stay a little farther from the kids so it won't look like I am one of them, trick or treat kids.

The gate opens and I hope that the blonde boy with blue eyes will be behind that gate. It opens and . . . Well I should have specified it because like my hope a blonde boy with blue eyes is behind that gate, but not the one that I want to see. He's also cute like Peeta, but Peeta is cuter.

Like what Rue said, the boy gives them cookies and candies. Their group leave, and I decide if I'll just go home or I'll ring the doorbell but I end up standing outside their house.

While waiting, I call Glimmer and I sit at the side of the hump of the road, so it won't look like I am up to something bad.

After 4 rings she picks up.

"Hello, Katniss, What's up?"

"Are you still in the party?"

"Nope, I am currently practicing my poses in front of a mirror. I left the party because I have no one to make out with."

I laugh even though I know she's serious. I reply sarcastically. "Well, you can make out with Gloss, he's alone tonight."

She giggles loudly. "Oh my gosh, that's a great idea."

I scowl even though I know she can't see it. "Are you serious? Coz I'm not. Plus, he's 8 years older than you."

"Age doesn't matter Katniss, but hotness does and Gloss has it in the bag." She screams.

I laugh and she talks again. "Where the hell are you anyway, Kat?"

"Uhmm, outside someone's house, not knowing what to do. Should I wait or leave?"

"Katniss, when the hell did you become a creeper? Anyway, I'm overreacting, I think you should wait, oh my gosh, I can't believe you're asking advice from me." Yeah, desperate people call for ridiculous advice. Even me, I can't believe that I'm asking advice from a stupid girl. "who knows, maybe he just went somewhere or he's outside the window looking at you or maybe. . . wait?" I frown at her ridiculous comment but I actually look up, hoping, and much to my shock, I see Peeta in the window. I catch his eyes and he looks like a deer caught in the head lights "Gosh, are you, Katniss everdeen seeing a guy?"

"Yes."

"Oh my gosh, why haven't you told me anything."

I smile at Peeta and he smiles back. "I gotta go, Glimms"

"Wait, Katniss don't hung up or I swear I'm go . . ." I hung up.

I stand up and wave at Peeta, he waves back and he probably goes down. The gate opens, and he goes to me.

"What are you doing here?" he asks innocently.

"Uhmm, my sister, Prim, goes to her friend, Rue for a trick or treat so I think we can hang out, while I wait for her."

He smiles, not looking at me. "Prim, it sounds familiar."

I smile. "Of course you do, she's the little girl you helped to get home before. Remember?"

He looks at his side, probably trying to remember then he snaps. "Oh, yeah, I remember." He says and he frowns. "I never thought you two are sisters."

The conversation ends and we stand there awkwardly, not knowing what to do or what to say.

"Uhmm, do you want to go inside?"

"Not really," Then he sits at where I was sitting a while ago and I sit beside him.

I'm starting to feel cold and I curse myself for wearing a dress like this? Peeta seems to notice this and he offers me his jacket. I reply.

"Won't you be cold?"

"Not really, I wear a thick t-shirt and . . ." he hesitates "I feel warm by. . ."

I look at him, he stops then he blushes. "Nothing"

We talk about certain stuffs, but suddenly it gets awkward that we both stop talking.

I think of a topic to talk about but I ended up saying.

"I should have never worn this." Pointing at my clothes.

He smiles shyly. "You should have, you look really good in it. People should always see the beauty that you have."

Now it's my turn to blush.

"Sorry." He says.

"Don't be." Ah. . . it's really awkward.

He looks to the ground and I know he feels awkward too. "I didn't mean it in an affectionate way. I just want to compliment you."

I don't know if I should be a little hurt or I should be flattered in what he said. I think of the reason, why I really dress like this. I haven't admitted this to myself. But I really, really like him. I know that there are girls in school that got their eyes on Peeta and if I don't give a clue that I like him, we might be stuck at . . .

"You know Peeta," I take a deep breath "I dress like this because I want. . ." Beep, Beep. A car stops in front of us. I scowl because I know who owns this gold-colored car.

Glimmer and Madge go out of the car and they smile at me. Damn these bitches, I'm about to tell Peeta, that I dress like this because I want him to notice me and now they messed it up. Oh! I want to kill them right now.

"Katniss, girl!" Glimmer whispers at me but she makes sure that Peeta can hear it too. "Are you two dating?"

"What?" I say. Still pissed at their timing.

I look at Peeta and see that he is blushing again.

"What the hell are you doing here outside? It's so cold here." Madge asks. "Don't you wanna go inside." She says in her flirtatious way.

"Because we want to!" You know that feeling where you already gather enough courage to tell someone you like that you like him and suddenly it shatters down because of your friends curiosity, that's what I feel.

"Chill, girl! We can take it inside." I look at Peeta and he's still blushing. I freeze at where I'm standing not because it's cold but because of the shame I feel about what Glimmer and Madge are doing. I swear I'll kick their ass.

"What's the matter you two?" Madge looks at me. "Are you hiding something from us? That's why you didn't come to the party." She says directly at me.

"Uhmm, we can go inside if you want." Peeta says.

We go inside, and Madge whispers at me. "When do you started dating him, Katniss? Why didn't you tell me?"

"What? I'm not dating him. And seriously, you should thank God, I'm not holding any arrows right now."

Glimmer joins in. "Well you don't have any arrows. Anyway, yes you do, you told me."

I stop and glare at them. "What?"

"You told me you're seeing someone I'm so curious that's why, I told Madge, and she said she thinks she knows who the guy is."

"And I was right." Madge says.

"We are not dating! He doesn't even know that I like him."

Glimmer giggles. "Oh, gosh, Katniss. Finally!" Madge giggles too.

I look down. "Yeah, I like him, but I don't know how to tell him."

Peeta clears his throat and I realize that we're in the living room, whispering to each other and giggling . . . in front of his dad and his 2 brothers and we are interrupting them in watching a movie.

"Dad, my . . . friends?" I smile, knowing that he doesn't know how to introduce us.

Madge saves his hesitation. "Yeah, I'm Madge, she's Glimmer and she's Katniss, Peeta's." I pinch her at the back, she yelps. "Friends, Yeah we are his friends." She says in a different tone.

Mr. Mellark smiles kindly at us. "What can I do for you, young ladies?"

"Actually, Katniss just. . . " I pinch Madge again at her back and she glares at me. "WEEEEE just want to play . . ." I stop her, I can't take it. I'd rather be the one to speak, it's better. Madge might spill something that is not true.

"We actually, need to go home, right now." I smile, planning a revenge for these 2 for what they did and what they said. "Glimmer and Madge just wanted to see Peeta's brothers so they can know if they are as cute as Peeta."

My plan seems to be working, since Glimmer and Madge's faces are already red. "And I guess, they think you two meet their standard since they are really blushing right now."

I pull Glimmer and Madge, and to my shock, the boys lead us outside. Family of Gentlemen.

When we are in the gate, I speak to Peeta. Glimmer and Madge try to walk away but I stop them. "So, I guess I'll see you around."

He laughs. "Sure, we will. And I guess, my brothers want to see your friends around too."

His brothers laugh, and Madge replies. "Yeah, that will be great."

"Take care, Katniss." I smile.

He closes the gate and Glimmer and Madge head to Glimmer's car.

They giggle and they try to tell me something about how Peeta's brothers are not cute but hot. But, I run head to my car and ignore their shouts to me.

Prim is already beside the car when I get there, and Rue is also there talking to her.

"Time to go home, little duck."

"Okay," She waves at Rue. "Bye."

I am smiling while I'm driving on our way home. Prim notices this and she asks me.

"Who is the guy?"

"What?"

"The friend you hang out with."

"And how did you know that he was a guy?"

"Because." She says slowly. "you are wearing his jacket." Crap! Oh yeah. I look at the jacket and I laugh. "Yeah, I forgot to return it."

When we get to the house, Prim changes, and I went upstairs.

I lay at my bed, not wanting to remove his jacket.

I go to the pocket of his jacket, hoping to find something. And I am right, how lucky I am today! There's a paper. I open it and see numbers, this must be his number.

I grab my phone and text him.

_Forgot to return your jacket_

I think he's expecting it because he quickly replies.

_I intended that you don't return it. :D_

I giggle, he intended not to get his jacket back to me so I can have his number without him giving it personally to me. He is still a shy boy and this shyness is the thing that makes me like him even more.

* * *

**I'm really busy at school, so i might not be able to update regularly. :) Thank you for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I only write this for my own entertainment. Read if you want. :)))) Thank you**

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Chapter 6

I'm wearing Peeta's jacket and I've been nervous since I came here to school. I really have fallen in love with this jacket, the same way I feel for its owner. I actually wore this when my family went to the cemetery and my mother asked why I was wearing a boy's jacket but I pretended not to hear her. But of course before I return it today, I washed it properly.

I stop at my locker to get my things and I text Peeta.

_Where are you? :)))_

I smile to myself when he replies back.

_At Haymitch's office. Is this about my jacket?_

I'm about to reply when someone slams my locker shut. I look up and see Delly and Clove glaring at me. I glare at them back. My recently confession to myself about my feelings for Peeta might have seemed to soften me a little, but again, it's just a little and I still am Katniss everdeen who can punch you in the face and kick you in the ass.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"We're here to bitch you out." Clove says knowingly.

"Oh, so you teamed up with her, thinking that you can beat me if you two combine your bitchiness. Sorry but it wouldn't work." I try to pass through them, but they block my way.

"Where are you going, slut?" Delly asks.

Without second guessing everything, I quickly slap Delly, she didn't expect it since it happened too fast. She's about to hit me back, when a big hand grabs her small one.

"Back off ladies." I look at the guy and see that it is Gale. The last time I saw him was when he pulled me from the assembly because Cato wanted to talk and apologize to me.

Delly raises an eyebrow. "After Cato, now Gale. Oh slut, don't tell me you're going to steal Finnick from your bestfriend." She smiles an evil smile and she and Clove walk away. I wanted to punch them but I don't want to get into trouble again.

Gale and I watch them walk away, then I face Gale.

"What was that all about?"

"What?"

I'm not sure if he's being sarcastic or he's just being Gale, but I'm not in the mood for an argument so I also walk away. But Gale, catch up with me, so I stop and give him a questioning look.

"Okay, now just tell me what you want?"

He scowls. "I just want to walk with you to the assembly."

"Assembly?"

"Yeah, assembly." Then he pointed to the fliers that are on the wall. I read it.

_Come to the REQUIRED ASSEMBLY for a talk about the upcoming 'Run for a Cause'. _

_-H_

"Run for a cause, huh?" Gale nods. "Why do we have to attend an assembly if they can just post posters about it on the walls?"

We continue walking and I notice that Gale has a habit of putting his left hand on his pocket. "I think Finnick, of course acting as a perfect president, wants to have many volunteers to help him prepare for this event. And he can easily persuade volunteers face to face." I laugh a bit because it's true, Finnick can charm the hell out of anyone.

"I wonder how it feels like to have a really, really sexy and cool friend."

We enter the covered court and Gale looks at me.

"I guess you should ask your friends." Then he walks toward Finnick and Cato. At first, I didn't understand his comment, but then it hits me, he was complimenting me. I don't know how to react to that so I just watch him walk away. I guess I am standing for too long in the entrance, since Annie was already on my side, pulling me in.

"Annie, why are you not with Finnick?"

"Shut up, Katniss," We're already in front of Glimmer and Madge, when she asks me.

"When are you going to tell me about him?"

"Him? You mean Gale, no, I me…"

"Not him, him!" she points at my back, I follow it and see Peeta. He is beside Haymitch and for some reason; he's not wearing his glasses today. I sit down and look back at Annie.

"I wanted to tell you, but lately, you were always with Finnick and when we were hanging out, you were always talking about him."

"Katniss, you can always interrupt me a…" So I did interrupt her.

"Whatever, will you want to stop with your drama and just listen to me?"

"Fine! Go!"

So I told her everything, after that. She giggles and, like on cue, the 4 of us look at Peeta.

"He looks cuter without glasses." Glimmer says.

"Are you kidding me? I like him better with glasses." Madge depends.

"Guys stop," they all look at me and I smile flirtatiously. "He's mine."

I think they will start to giggle but Haymitch speaks up.

"Now everyone, especially Katniss and the company, shut up." And so we did. Haymitch and I have been sharing jokes and insults when we see each other in the hallway, so it's not new to me what he just said.

"I want to thank you for attending in this required assembly and I'm not gonna waste my time talking about crappy things in front of you, when I can just be in my office and pour some w…" he stops, realizing what he's about to say, I guess he has hangover or he's really drunk. "w-water in my throat." He says in an aware tone. I silently chuckle as he passes the mike to Finnick, I glance at Peeta but he's not looking at me, so I decided to text him. When I get my phone I see 3 unread messages and I start to panic a little, I open the messages and read it.

_Hey, are you gonna go at Haymitch's office._

_I'll go to the assembly now, see you there._

_You must have loved my jacket :))))_

The last comment makes me smile, I look at Peeta and this time he's also looking at me, I wave and he smiles. Our eye contact breaks when I heard a familiar seductive voice, Finnick.

"Wanna be sexy like me?" The girls around me, especially Annie giggled so loud. I take this opportunity to go to Peeta. The 3 girls didn't even notice me leaving, since they are very focus on what Finnick is saying.

I tap Peeta at the back and I say hello.

"Hi Katniss," he looks at my jacket, I mean his jacket. "Nice jacket."

I laugh a little. "Yeah, yeah. Anyway, do you know the whole thing about this assembly?"

"Yeah why?"

"You just explain it to me later," I look at the other door in the covered court. "Do you think we can leave now?"

He looks at the door too, for a while and it actually gives me enough time to notice that he's wearing contact lens, since his eyes are a little bit darker blue than the original. He looks back at me and smiles, which answers my question.

* * *

"I really can't understand why we have to have an assembly, if it's just about that."

"Well I heard that Finnick is actually planning to have the biggest party of the year and I guess that's why he needs volunteers." Party. Oh yeah Finnick loves to party.

I started to doubt my decision about voting for him as the president since all he does is to have a party and I'm not a huge fan of parties.

We walk silently and I remember his jacket and I take it off.

"Here's your jacket, I might forget to return it again."

He smiles as he takes it. I watch him and I can still sense his shyness even though we're already friends. We never said that we are friends but it's kinda obvious already that we are. I wonder if he can sense that I like him because based on what Madge told me it's pretty obvious.

"Anyway Katniss, here." He hands me a mixtape.

"A mixtape?"

"Yeah, I know it's kinda old times but I want t-to- to share to you those songs." I guess that's not what he really wants to say but I just let it be. "If you don't want it…"

"No, I like it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

He smiles. "I thought you won't appreciate it."

Madge sent me a text that was asking me to go to the race tracks of our school. Peeta came with me and the volunteers seemed to be also needed in the activity, not just in the party.

The whole race track is messed up; I just now realize that we haven't used this since the school started. I don't know what happened to it but I know that we should clean it up. Peeta and I go to where the others are and when we get there, they all look at us with something in their eyes and I felt the need to introduce Peeta to them.

"Uhmm, this is Peeta, a friend."

"Hello, I'm Peeta." He backs up shyly.

Glimmer and Madge quickly greet him with a tap at the back. I watch the 3 walk away to start repainting the cracked and dirty wall I remember that Peeta's good at arts then Annie looks at me and says.

"So you're the one who is making a move huh?"

I look at her with an annoyed face. "I'm not making a move, I'm just trying to be friends with him."

"Exactly, friends first, then lovers. Nice job, everdeen." Then she chuckles.

Then I ask myself, am I making a move? That sounds so desperate so I guess not. But somehow being friends with Peeta just came naturally to me, as if, I've planned it for a long time.

I decide to go to Peeta and the 2 girls to help them out, even though I'm not much of a painter. I turn around to look at Annie so I can scowl at her face but I see Gale looking at me with some unreadable feeling, it makes me feel uncomfortable so I quickly head to where Peeta is.

"Want somehelp?" I ask Peeta.

"Not really, this just needs a quick touch. I think I can handle it."

"Okay." Out of nowhere he asks.

"But I'm thinking, if you want to go to my house later or vice versa?"

I suddenly giggle deep inside and I wonder why? Peeta answers my unasked question.

"Because you're friends told me that you really need some tutoring in Math and I'll be willing to help."

I don't know if I should be happy or ashamed of what my friends told him because it looked like I am really stupid in Math, wait! Everyone thinks that Math is hard but there are some exceptions like Peeta. I look at Glimmer and Madge and I smile at them.

"Sure, tomorrow, I think you should go to my house."

I maintain my smile and Peeta smiles too, I am looking straight in his eyes and I'm so lost that I forgot that Glimmer and Madge are by our side.

"Katniss, ayeee!" Madge giggles.

Glimmer makes a heart with her hand, I blush and I look at Peeta who is also blushing and scratching her head. God, when will this two stop?

* * *

When I went home, mom is already there. She and Prim are watching America's Next Top Model.

"Katniss." Prim greets me.

"Come and join us." My mom says, I can see in her posture that she is really tired but I told them that I'll change first.

I change to a shirt and a short then I remember the mixtape. I play it excitedly and the first song comes up, it's an old song but I listen to it.

_Leavin' on a sidewalk__  
__Workin' up my courage__  
__Make a little smalltalk__  
__Offer her a ride__There's people all around her__  
__Wish that I had found her__  
__Before she got discovered by the crowd!__She's so popular!__  
__I know I'll never mean a lot to her__  
__What kind of chance have I got with her?__  
__She doesn't even know that I'm alive__Maybe all I'm missing__  
__Is a label on my blue jeans__  
__Maybe I don't listen__  
__to the music her friends play__Never really met her__  
__Why can't I forget her?__  
__It hurts to be in love__  
__from so far away__She's so popular!__  
__I know I'll never mean a lot to her__  
__What kind of chance have I got with her?__  
__She doesn't even know that I'm alive__Can't wait forever__  
__It's now or never!__Maybe I'm crazy__  
__but I'm not dumb__  
__Just foolish in love to__  
__fall for someone__  
__so popular!__I know I'll never mean a lot to her__  
__What kind of chance have I got with her?__  
__She doesn't even know that I'm alive__Maybe I'm crazy__  
__but I'm no dumb__  
__Just foolish in love__  
__to fall for someone__  
__so popular!__I know I'll never mean a lot to her__  
__What kind of chance have I got with her?__  
__She doesn't even know that I'm alive__She's so popular!__  
__I know I'll never mean a lot to her__  
__What kind of chance have I got with her?__  
__She doesn't even know that I'm alive_

_She's so__  
__She's so__  
__She's so fine__  
__She's popular__  
__and she's mine!_

Is he trying to send a message because if he does I don't know what I'll do.

* * *

**Okay so it's an old song, I can't find anything that will fit Katniss and Peeta's situation so I don't have a choice but to use that. Also, you might think something mean about Peeta's mixtape stuff, but you have to understand him, he's shy. Anyway, I have a new story idea so I might end this story soon. I might be able to finish this, this year since my exams will end next week and i'll have lots of free time.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm supposed to update last Dec. 12. 2012 coz it was my birthday. But me and my friends had a celebration and so with my family. But i hope you like this chapter. Review.**

* * *

Chapter 7

_My life is brilliant.  
My love is pure.  
I saw an angel.  
Of that I'm sure.  
She smiled at me on the subway.  
She was with another man.  
But I won't lose no sleep on that,  
'Cause I've got a plan._

You're beautiful. You're beautiful.  
You're beautiful, it's true.  
I saw your face in a crowded place,  
And I don't know what to do,  
'Cause I'll never be with you.

As I listen to the songs in the mixtape, I'm starting to feel that Peeta might have been sending me a message, a message that is telling me that he likes me. The time when I forgot to return his jacket and I found his number in the pocket comes surging through my mind.

_He can't tell me what he wants to say and this is his way to tell me. _I think. I smile and I feel a tender lightness in my heart. It feels so comforting and relaxing and I just can't stop smiling.

_But what if you're wrong? _A voice inside my head tells me and I freeze. Yeah, what if he doesn't really like me and just like what he told me he just wanted to share those songs to me. I grab my phone and decide if I'll call him or Glimmer or Madge or anyone I know. But I can't think straight so I just drop my phone on my bed and go downstairs.

Prim and Mom are still watching. I'm not a huge fan of ANTM but I decided to watch since everything that is happening right now is just so frustrating.

After the show ended Mom turned off the TV.

"Time to sleep girls." She yawns. Prim stands up and heads to her room.

I'm about to go too when Mom speaks up.

"Katniss,"

"Yes." I reply.

"You look problematic. Want to talk about it?" This is the first time after a long time that she asks me something that is a mother-daughter thing. I kinda appreciate it but I'm not sure if I should tell it to her since my problem is not something that she's good at, at solving. I remember when she has been really heart broken when dad died, I know that she tried to hide it from us, but I can hear her every night back then, crying and crying and crying. It took her a long time to get over the fact that dad is dead though I know that she still loves him and still wish that he was here, like I do.

"Not really."

She nods slightly. "I know Katniss that I haven't been the mother that you used to have when your father was still alive. I also know that in the past years, we barely talk since I was always busy at work. I know you feel like I'm not being a mother to you. But trust me, Katniss, I'm trying to find a way to return the relationship that we had before and I hope you give me a chance."

I understand why she has to work always. I know that it's for us. But of course I'm just a human and I also get upset and feel abandoned when she always work and she has no time for us.

"It's okay, mom. It's nothing. I can handle it."

"Okay Katniss, but if you want to talk to someone just go to me, okay."

"Okay." And I mean it.

I go to my room and my phone rings.

Madge. And I answer it.

"Yes?"

"I know Katniss you don't have to tell me, you're welcome."

"Huh." What the hell?

"Oh c'mon Katniss, I know you're excited for your 'tutorial'" Oh yeah the tutorial with Peeta. I don't know but I start to get nervous, maybe I'm not just sure in what I'll do if I see him.

"Not really."

"Ooooohkay!" then she hangs up.

I ask myself, am I excited? I'm not sure if I am, I'm more nervous than excited.

I listen to one more song before I sleep.

_Hello there the angel from my nightmare__  
__The shadow in the background of the morgue__  
__The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley__  
__We can live like Jack and Sally if we want__  
__Where you can always find me__  
__And we'll have Halloween on Christmas__  
__And in the night we'll wish this never ends__  
__We'll wish this never ends__(I miss you I miss you)__  
__(I miss you I miss you)__Where are you and I'm so sorry__  
__I cannot sleep I cannot dream tonight__  
__I need somebody and always__  
__This sick strange darkness_

_Comes creeping on so haunting every time__  
__And as I stared I counted__  
__The Webs from all the spiders__  
__Catching things and eating their insides__  
__Like indecision to call you__  
__and hear your voice of treason__  
__Will you come home and stop the pain tonight__  
__Stop this pain tonight__Don't waste your time on me you're already__  
__The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)__  
__Don't waste your time on me you're already__  
__The voice inside my head (I miss you miss you)__  
_

As I fell asleep, I figure out the answer in my question. I miss him therefore I'm excited to see him.

* * *

The morning comes and I prepare for school. I go downstairs Prim is already there and Mom I making breakfast. I know she's trying to be close with u again I don't know what made her realize that, but I am somehow glad about that. She looks up in what she's doing and greets me.

"Good morning Katniss," I nod

We eat breakfast silently and right when I stand up to leave, mom says.

"Have a good day, Katniss." I reply with a smile.

I decide to take a ride with Prim and Gloss, I'm too lazy to drive.

"Katniss, you seem distracted today." If the voice was not a guy's voice. I would have thought, it was Prim because those words are Prim's specialty. Not Gloss, he is quiet most of the time.

"It's nothing, just some… things." I reply.

"I can relate." I feel my eyes widen at what he said. Is what I'm feeling too obvious in my face? I quickly change my expression and maintain it until I get to school.

"Katniss, I was calling you. Why are you not answering your phone?" Annie says.

I open my bag to get my phone but… "Bullshit! I forgot my phone." Then I remember that I put it beside my laptop when I check Peeta's profile.

"Yeah that's bullshit. But anyway, you won't need it today. Right?" she raises her eyebrows. "Coz you're having a tutorial with your blonde guy and I think you have told ALL of your friends about it." Oh yeah, I forgot to tell her …. Again. But I feel defensive.

"Annie, get over it you know it now, don't you? And as if you hadn't kept secret from us in the past." Thinking of the Finnick thing and the Lucas thing, that we found out when she had a fight with Delly.

"She made a great point." Glimmer pops behind us. "We should go to our class. C'mon."

We went to our class and just like what I expected, it was boring.

Math comes and Mrs. Coin returns our tests.

I guess I really need a tutorial, my F, has made me realize that. Shame attacks my nervous system, when I realize that Peeta might have known our topic in Math already and he is just a sophomore and I am a junior. Shame! Really ashaming.

* * *

It is dismissal, and I kick myself for not bringing my phone, I can't figure out where the hell Peeta is. I told him that he should come to my house, but I didn't tell him the details about it. Then I realize that I didn't bring my car and I don't know how I'll go home without trying to ride in the bus and I can't text Glimmer, Madge, Annie or even Cato to give me a ride.

I'm already in panic mode when the ninja, Mr. Haymitch, comes up behind me. I scowl at him.

"What do you want?"

"Well your boyfriend tell me…" I cut him off

"Wait? Boyfriend."

"Oh yeah, you're not dating, there is just mutual understanding or unreciprocated love." He clears his throat and I fight the urge to slap him in the face. "Peeta, your friend" stressing the word friend. "can't meet you today. His family has to go to Oklahoma, also known as District 11 before, coz his grandfather is really sick."

Disappointment is the first thing that I feel. I won't be able to see him today.

Haymitch leaves and I stand there trying to hide what I'm really feeling. Someone taps me again.

"Haymitch, can you please stop doing that."

"Uhmm, I'm not Haymitch." Gale.

"Need a ride."

I have no choice but to say yes, because in situations like this, you can't turn down an offer that you really need.

The drive is awkward for me but Gale seems comfortable. Gale seems to be a nice guy, but the way he looks at me is so disturbing.

When we get to my home, he says.

"So, you have any plans for tonight."

Is he asking me out?

As much as I want to go out, he's not the guy that I want to be with. He's in Oklahoma and he has blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Yeah, my family and I have thi-this, I mean dinner tonight with my mom's friend." I lie.

"Uhmm, okay. Maybe next time."

Why not? I told myself. But I'm still not that comfortable with it. "Maybe" I smile. "Well, thanks for the ride."

Prim must be in her room and mom is probably still working. I go to my room and get my phone. I have 24 text messages and 35 missed calls.

I open the messages and my heart beats wildly.

Peeta, Peeta, Peeta, Peeta, it's all from Peeta.

_Sorry I can't meet you today. My grandpa is really sick, we have to meet him. :((_

_Sorry, Katniss, I'm really sorry._

_I promise when I get home I'll quickly head to your house._

I smile and he must have not known that all these simple text messages are already making my heart melt. The rest of the texts have the same idea, but his last text is what really gets into me.

_Katniss, can you please reply or answer my call. This is making me feel so bad and upset. I don't want you to feel bad about this. Please. :((( :))) _

So it took him 23 texts for him to be able to say what he really wants to say. My shy blonde boy with blue eyes. The phone calls are also all from him, except the first 2, it is Annie's and the other one… is from Gale. What does he want? I clear my thoughts and I open my laptop to check his profile, but there are 12 messages again from Peeta. Same things but it's not sickening. I smile wildly and the disappointment that I feel is now gone.

My phone rings again, I check it and see that it's Peeta. I quickly answer it, not wanting to miss it.

"Hi Peeta, how are you?"

* * *

**Sorry, if you didn't like the Gale thing and if you get annoyed that Peeta didn't come. But trust me, everything that happens here has a reason.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi. Review.**

* * *

Chapter 8

"Glimmer, can you pass the popcorn to me." Annie shouts to Glimmer, who is giggling while texting. She doesn't seem to hear what Annie is saying._  
_

"Glimmer!"

"What?"

"Pass the popcorn."

"Oh, sorry!" she hands the bowl to Madge, who passes it to Annie and she goes back at texting.

I lean in to Annie and ask. "What's up with Glimmer?"

"I know right, do you think she's been hooking up with some guy?"

"Maybe." We continue watching Dear John.

I decided to invite Glimmer, Annie and Madge for a sleepover since my mom and Prim are in a Mother and daughter camp, which was organized by the school. Mom has done her promise that she will be more of a mother to us. I am happy that we can spend more time with her. Though sometimes, I can't help but wonder what's up with her sudden change.

We finished the movie and Madge speaks up.

"Are y'all going to winter formal?"

"Winter Formal?" I ask.

"Yeah, you haven't heard of it?"

Annie gives me a look. "Or see it on the walls?" I remember Finnick's campaign about the running, the event that i didn't attend at.

Before i can answer Madge giggles. "Maybe she's just waiting for blondie to ask her to be his date." They giggled loudly and i notice that Glimmer is still oblivious in what's happening.

"Glimmer, you going?"

she stops texting. "Uhmm, not yet sure."

"Oh c'mon, we should all go." Madge says while opening my laptop. "Borrow."

I glare at her. "Oh yeah, who's your date?"

"Well i have two options, but i'm not gonna tell you who I'm going with."

I roll my eyes. "My god, Katniss, I can't believe you're collecting Peeta's pictures." If it is someone, i'll definitely get shy for my stalking styles, but it's just Madge so i'm fine with it.

"Well believe it coz the evidence is already near your face."

My phone rings. I check it.

_Gale. What does he want?_

I answer his call.

Like usual, the 3 girls go closer to me.

"Hello," I greet. Annie asks who it is. "Gale." They sigh disappointedly and I understand what they feel.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing, preparing to sleep." I lie again, even though i know that we'll stay up all night talking and playing.

"Oh..." Gale says. Madge gives me a thumbs up. "Anyway, Katniss."

Unexpectedly, Glimmer says. "Team Peeta all the way." It is loud enough for Gale to hear and I glare intensely at Glimmer.

"Wait, are you with your friends? Was that Glimmer?" Annie slaps Glimmer at her arms.

I stutter. "Y-ye-yes. Why?"

"What did she..." I see the panic in Glimmer's eyes and I widened my eyes at her.

"Yeah, Team pita bread all the way, i absolutely hate GArlic bread." she stresses the letters ga, and i understand what she's trying to say.

"Oh, you're talking about bread." he laughs.

"Yeah." I laugh a bit.

"I guess, i'll see you on Monday at school."

"Yeah." I hung up.

"Well that was entertaining." Madge says. "What did GArlic bread want?"

I laugh. "He hasn't told me anything yet, but we'll see on Monday."

* * *

The 3 girls left my house before I woke up and now i'm alone.

I am debating if i should call Peeta. I still have that nervous and excitement feeling when i think of him.

The doorbell rings and i go outside to check who it is. I already have a feeling who it's going to be and my instinct was right. Peeta's standing outside my house with a new car beside him. He's wearing his glasses today and i can't help but smile, remembering the first time i see him.

I go outside and meet him. "Peeta, how are you?"

He looks at me with something in his eyes that i can't explain. "I'm good."

I look at the car beside him. "Is that your car?"

"Yeah." He rubs his forehead. _Oh his cute little actions. I think._ "Got my driver's license yesterday."

"Wait, does it mean..."

"My birthday?" I nod. "Yeah it was my birthday yesterday."

I stand there, not knowing how to respond. I remember the date yesterday and the date that's beside his birthday information on his profile. And they are the same.

"I wonder do you still need tutoring." I nod even though i'm thinking of the birthday that he had that i didn't even know.

We go inside, he starts and as he teaches me, there's a sudden change in his expression that i find ... sexy. His usual easy expression is replaced by something intense.

We're almost done when I say what was going in my mind since he came here.

"Peeta, belated happy birthday."

He looks at me then smiles. "Thank you."

"Well, i kinda feel bad that i didn't get something for you in your special day."

"You didn't know that it was my birthday, yesterday. There's nothing that you have to feel bad about."

That is the problem, i know his birthday but i was not aware of the date.**  
**

We're quiet for a while then he speaks again.

"How about, we finish this tutoring already and we go celebrate my birthday." I smile at his idea. "My treat." he says with a deep voice, which makes my smile even wider.

* * *

We go to this restaurant, it is kinda romantic for two people who are here to celebrate a late birthday.

We sit and order our food. Then Peeta just looks at me, there's something about him that is new.

"Do you remember when i told you that i owe you a ride if i get my driver's license?"

I laugh, then i remember the mixtape and i start to freeze.

"Well, you don't owe me anything. I'm the one who owes you now."

He raises an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For the tutoring."

He laughs and i can't get my mind off the mixtape now.

"It's okay, Katniss." I want to open up the mixtape thing and know what he really meant when he gave it to me. But i don't know how i'll start it.

"Katniss, are you okay?"

"Oh, ye-yeah I'm fine. It's ju-just... something."

Our orders came and we eat silently. The music that the restaurant is playing is so romantic. If it wasn't about the idea that we're just here for his late birthday celebration, i might think that we're having a date.

After we eat, he asked me if i want to watch a movie. I said yes.

We go to the movie house and decided to watch the film adaptation of The Hunger Games.

"Have you read the book?" Peeta asked me.

"No, but Prim has the trilogy."

He nods and we enter.

The movie starts with the reaping. One of the actors has blonde hair and blue eyes. I can't help myselp, but look at Peeta. When i look at him, he's also looking at me. I expect him to quickly look away like what he always does. But he keeps his eyes on me then he smiles.

After we watched, Peeta drives me home. I'm disappointed that i was not able to ask what i want to ask. That was my chance and i completely messed it up. It starts to rain, Peeta turns on the radio and a song comes up.

_Here's how it goes_  
_Boy meets girl, girl leaves boy_  
_That's all I know_  
_All I've done, all my life_

_'Cause throughout my history_  
_I've only been with jerks_  
_Who couldn't take it_  
_But you see the picket fence_  
_A wing on the front porch_  
_With us two on it_

_When I believe that nothing lasts forever_  
_You stay with me, keeping us together_  
_And make me feel like I never ever wanna give you up_  
_'Til now, I've always been a quitter_

_You rescued me_  
_Saved my life just in time_  
_Saw past all my issues and scars_  
_And made me try_

_'Cause oh, the way you're kissing me_  
_Makes it hard to breathe_  
_But I still like it_  
_Oh oh, it truly feels like a dream_  
_You know exactly how I want it_

_I believe that nothing lasts forever _  
_You stay with me, keeping us together_  
_And make me feel like I never ever wanna give you up_  
_'Til now, I've always been a quitter_

_I've always been a quitter_

The first verse is what exactly i am feeling, and i kind of wish that the second verse might happen to me and Peeta. My disappointment gets worse and I think Peeta noticed it.

"Katniss, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, just need to sleep."

"Katniss."

"What?"

"Katniss."

"Yeah, i'm listening."

"Have you," he winces a bit. "Never mind."

"No Peeta, what was it?"

"Okay, have you..." he breathes fastly. "heard about the formal?"

"Yeah, my friends told me."

"Uhmm, do you, you know, have a date already?"

I know where we will end up with this and i'm boiling with excitement. I decided to take the initiative to go straight to the point.

"Do you want me to go to formal with you?"

"Well if you," I cut him off.

"I do,"

He looks at me shocked. "What?"

"I do, want to go to formal with you."

He smiles. "so we'll go to formal together, right?"

I laugh, i know he's still surprised that i agree to go with him. "Yes." I confirmed it. "We'll go to formal together."

When we get to my house, he asks me again.

"Katniss, you really want to go to formal with me?"

I smile, thinking of how cute he looks while he keeps on asking me about formal. "Yes Peeta." I hold his hand and i feel an electricity when i touch it. "That's a deal. Okay?"

He begins to relax. "Okay. We're go there as friends?" he asks me. I suddenly feel a sting on my heart, realizing that we're really going there as friends, a friend date. I nod.

I'm about to leave when i realized that it's still raining. I'm so preoccupied with my thoughts of Peeta that i haven't even noticed what's happening around me.

"Wait, i have an umbrella." He gets it and he goes out of the car. He opens the door for me and leads me to the gate.

"Thank you, Peeta. For... today."

"Katniss, can i ask you something?"

"sure."

"Have you listened to the mixtape?"

I freeze again, the mixtape. "Yeah!"

He smiles. "I'm glad you do."

I go inside as i watch his car leave.

_I'm glad you do. _

What does he mean?

* * *

_I hope you guys understand what i was trying to tell you. Anyway review._


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi :))) Okay, i am currently out of the country for Christmas and i want you to know that it took me a long time to get my hands on my laptop and update. Anyway, I'm glad you do (the one Peeta said last chapter) means, he's glad that Katniss has a clue already about what he feels.**

* * *

Chapter 9

I am very nervous, more nervous than the time I take my driving test. I haven't told anyone yet, except for my Mother and Prim, who excitedly find different dresses for me to wear. They are both so excited for me and their excitement makes me feel that this formal thing is not going to work. I decided to drive on my own because I don't want Prim to ask me a lot of questions about who my date is going to be. The nearer I get to school, the more anxious I become. How am I suppose to act with someone I like, who asked me to go to formal with him as friends?

I'm already at the parking lot of the school and I'm thinking if I should tell Peeta what I really feel. Will he react nicely? Will he laugh at me? I don't know coz he is very unpredictable. I can't believe that this shy boy can make me feel like this. I gather my thoughts and I try to convince myself that I am Katniss Everdeen, the girl who never gets scared.

I'm about to get out when Glimmer and Madge enters the car.

"Katniss Everdeen, you're so on fireee!" Glimmer giggles.

They didn't let me reply and they quickly tell me what's going on.

"Everyone's talking about these hotties that want to ask you for formal." Madge giggles while shoving me, if it wasn't for the reason that I am much stronger than her, I could've pushed her back. "Here's the list: Ian, the quarterback, Alexander, well you know him of course the hot guy who everyone is dying to make out with."

"Including me," Glimmer says. "Too bad I already have a date."

"Shut up, Glimmer. We'll discuss that later." She shoots her a glare. "Let's continue, the next guy is, Sam, the captain of our basketball team."

"Madge, stop it."

"Wait Katniss, 3 more guys to go." She continues to tell me. "The hot twin brothers, Marc and Zac and…" They both look at me with something unreadable in their eyes and I look back at them cluelessly. "Gale."

Gale. What? Then it hits me that must be the reason why he keeps on calling and texting me. It must have occurred to Glimmer and Madge too coz they are reflecting my reaction. Now, how the hell can I tell these guys that I already have a date? I can't think of any excuses but then a bell rings in my head.

If I'm not here I don't have to talk to them.

"You two, get out of my car. I'm going home!"

"What? You can't go home. You have to face them, Everdeen!'

"You can't dictate me in what I'm going to do! I said get out of my car."

"No we won't." Glimmer and Madge share a look. Surprisingly, Glimmer starts to tickle me. Madge drags me as I shout obscenities at them.

"If you weren't Katniss Everdeen, I already punched you in the face."

They manage to get me out of my car and walk me in the corridors. Everyone starts looking at me and hispering at each other. I have no idea how this thing spreads and I am definitely not liking it. I wish I have my bow and arrows right now so I can all threat them to stop looking at me.

I see Marc and Zac and Alexander. Like everyone, they also look at me and smile. I'm starting to lose hope when I see Haymitch walking. I elbow Glimmer and Madge, who are still holding me and I shout.

"Haymitch." I widen my eyes at him. At first, I thought he'll just laugh at me but, he goes to me, I just hope he won't do something to make fun of me.

He points at Marc, Zac and Alexander.

"Katniss is not going in the formal with you or anyone with you. Coz she got a community service for this week, non-stop community service." Everyone knows he's lying but it did the trick. Well, who wants to mess up with a guidance counselor?

When we get to his office he asks me.

"So who are you going with?"

It feels awkward to talk to Haymitch about my formal life, but I guess it wouldn't be that awkward if he knows who I'm going with.

"Peeta." I answer shyly.

"I see." He nods approvingly. "Okay you can get out now. I have to drink."

I get out and Glimmer, Madge and now Annie are standing in front of me, giving me their what-now-Katniss look.

The bell rings. Oh thank God. I run and quickly head to my class. Without looking back at them.

* * *

I have Math. I have this class with Annie and today is our exam day. I remember my weekend with Peeta and I smile. The test looked hard but when I analyze them well, like what Peeta told me, it was actually kind of easy. The teacher allows the students to have an early lunch if they finished the test earlier. Well, I finished it early so I pass my paper and quickly head out of the classroom. I'm feeling that this day is going to be my lucky day first Haymitch helped me get away with Zac, Marc and Alexander. Then the bell rang when Glimmer, Madge and Annie were about to harassed me about the formal. I just really wish that I can talk to Peeta right now. It will complete my day.

There are very few students in the cafeteria, I purchase my order. When I turn around Gale is standing in front of me. He smiles and I grimace.

We sit silently around the table, he speaks first.

"I think you've heard about it already."

"Yeah." I say awkwardly.

"So, will I be rejected too? Like the others." I kinda feel bad that I have to tell him that I can't go with him. I know Gale a bit coz we sometimes eat lunch together with my friends and his friends. But I don't want to lead him on, so I have to tell him the truth.

"I'm sorry Gale. Bu-But I already have a date."

He looks unreadable for a moment but he covers it with a smile. "It's okay, Katniss." He takes a deep breath. "That guy…" he looks around. "is a lucky guy. Well everyone will be lucky to be with you."

"I'm really sorry, Gale."

"Don't be. It's okay. It's not like, I won't be able to get another girl to be my date." I know he's just telling the truth but it hits me in a wrong way. "It's just, I really want to be your date. I think you're a really cool girl." He seems okay now. "But if your date screws everything up, I swear he'll receive a punch in the face."

I laugh. "Well, thanks. I'll be expecting you to do that." Then I remember that it's Peeta we're talking about. I know he won't do that… Won't he? "If, if he screws up."

"Okay, Katniss. I'll see you around."

I smile. "Okay, bye."

I remain seated and I try to look for Peeta, but instead of seeing him. I see Madge, Glimmer and Annie.

"What's up, girl?" Annie asks me.

Girls pass by and they look at me as if they want to kill me out of jealousy.

Clove, Delly and her group go to our table and they shoot us a killer look.

"So, sl-" Before they can finish I curse out loud. People look at us, probably thinking of another fight. I scowl and smirk at the same time. They back off, coz they know what's gonna happen to them if they mess up with us again.

"Everyone should mind their own business." Annie complains.

"Exactly, so Katniss can tell us who the hell she's gonna pick." Glimmer agrees.

"I rejected them all." I say plainly.

"Katniss, what the?" I don't really understand why they all care too much about this.

"Why are y'all more excited than me in this formal thing?"

"Katniss, you never go to any dance, formal or whatever the school organize. You should have fun and as your friends, we should make sure that you'll have a memorable and great high school life."

I still don't get their point. I'm having fun, okay maybe not much. But I'm seriously damn fine with it. I think of how I can stop their craziness and I realize that there's one thing I can do. Tell the truth.

"I rejected them all coz I already have a date." I say proudly. Even though, I don't know why I should be proud.

They gape.

"Who?" I smile and they must have gotten the answer. They're trying to hide their giggles as they ask me for information. I tell them what happened during my weekend. And their giggles went out.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I can't believe it. He asks you. Oh my gosh."

They all giggle excitedly but I remember something.

"But he told me that, we'll go there as friends."

Annie raises an eyebrow and tells me with her superior tone. "Don't believe him Katniss. I'm sure it's not as friends."

"Agreed." Madge says. "I think you should talk to him."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. You haven't even told me who you're going with."

"I'm going with Finnick." Annie tells me.

Glimmer blushes and she says excitedly. "Okay, don't be shocked. But, I've been seeing Cato lately and I'm going with him."

I smile and the 3 giggle. It's not a shock to me coz I've been seeing signs during lunch time but I'm happy for her.

"You Madge?" I ask.

She smiles sadly. "Well unfortunately, the 2 guys that I told you during our sleepover at Katniss' house didn't work out."

Glimmer comments about how Madge can find another guy to be her date and it reminds me of what I just told Gale.

"Madge, I really think that you should go with Gale."

Madge looks at me, annoyed. "Katniss!"

"No Madge, it's a great idea. My date and Glimmer's date are friends with him and we are friends with you. It just makes sense, if we will all go together." Annie giggles one more time.

Madge considers it for a moment then she blushes.

"If you agree with us then we should find him! NOW!" I announce.

I guess this is also my friends' lucky day, coz the time that we get out of the cafeteria. Cato, Finnick and Gale are about to enter. Annie runs and pulls Finnick and whispers something at him. Finnick's eyes got bigger; he must have liked that idea. He gives Annie a kiss and he grabs Gale's arm.

I smile to myself for the accomplishment of Madge's date and I decide to focus to mine, Peeta. I have to find him.

Before, I can even step forward, the bell is already ringing. Damn it! Why was the time so fast when I got an early lunch. Is my lucky day already over?

* * *

"Okay, class. You may go home." Ms. Portia announced.

I take off, determined to see Peeta. I have to talk to him. I get my phone and call him but he's not answering. I head to Haymitch's office but no one's there.

I run to the parking lot. I almost think that Monday has cursed me under a spell and I can't break it until the formal day. But I see him going to his car. His hair is glistening under the sun and I have to take a really deep breath to have the courage to go to him without making a fool of myself.

I call him and he turns around. His normal greeting smile to me is replaced by a different kind of smile, I think it's disappointment or regret. I have no idea why he'll feel like that when I'm the one who should feel that emotion.

"Peeta."

"Katniss."

He looks from a far before looking at me again. "I'm sorry about what happened in the weekend."

"What?" I frown my confusion.

He takes a deep breath then another. "Okay, uhm-" he stops.

"It's okay Peeta you can tell me." I start to get nervous.

"Katniss, I wasn't honest with you."

Honest? I shiver at the word but I just let him finish what he's saying.

"I don't want to go to formal with you just as a friend. I want to go there as your…" he looks down to hide his eyes and he blushes. "as your date." His effect on me is already working and I'm blushing wildly. "I want to tell that, but I'm not sure if you're going to agree with me if we won't go there only as friends. It's the only way I can think of to be able t-t-to go with you." His regret is so clear now at his eyes, now that he looks up. "But I guess, it's too late now. You must have picked someone already."

Different emotions run through me, my inner Katniss is jumping up and down. _He wants me to be his date_. This really must be my lucky day. My only wish this day has came true and it's happening right now.

I realize that he's waiting for an answer. I want to say a lot of things but I ended up saying.

"It's not too late." I see the surprise in his eyes. "It has never been too late."

There I said it.

We just look at each other. Then, I realize that he's so much taller than me. I think of giving him a hug, so I can put my head on his chest and I can feel his heartbeat.

But I feel the bitter Katniss whispering in my ear telling me that he just wants to be my date and he might not be reciprocating the feelings I have for him. Even though I want to dwell on that topic and ask Peeta about it. I just can't do it right now, this moment is just too good to be over and I'm gonna cling into it while I'm still in that moment.

Peeta breaks the eye contact. Then I ask him.

"Why do you want to be my date?"

He smiles playfully. "Coz I want to get to know you more."

I smile at him one more time. Then I turn to go to my car. As I drive, I think of the possibility that Peeta might also fall in love with me. He wants to get to know me more, and who knows what more will bring? But there's only one thing going in my mind. _This is going to be the best day of my junior year._

* * *

**Review and Merry Christmas to everyone :))))**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey. I hope this story isn't becoming boring. There'll be 4-6 more chapters before this story ends. I also suggest that you read my new story. Good in Goodbye. Check my profile for the summary and if you're interested read it. :))) Thank you for the reviews and for reading this story.**

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Chapter 10

I'm getting my hair fixed in the salon with Madge and surprisingly I'm not nervous or excited. Madge just informed me that I am nominated for Junior Winter Formal Princess, which I didn't expect at all. She is also nominated along with Glimmer, Annie. I'm not sure why they pick the 4 of us but when I let my mind think about it, I just don't care.

"Katniss, why do you always not check what's happening in the school?" She asks with her I'm-really-annoyed voice.

"Because I don't care about it." I reply simply.

"Yeah right and you didn't get to vote. Every vote matters" she says with too much feeling that it makes me laugh.

I reply sarcastically. "Can you imagine me voting for myself?"

She bites her lips. "No. I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about me. "

"You want me to vote for you?"

"Duh! I want to win something you know. In my whole life I'm always second best."

"And forever you'll be." I say in a rude tone.

She scowls at me through the mirror. "Yeah keep it up Everdeen, I really appreciate it." Then I laugh.

"So Gale's your date huh?"

"Yeah, I kinda feel like I was a rebound at first, but I got over it. Atleast, I'm going with a hot guy. Anyway enough of Gale, Katniss my dad arranged a limo for us, you should tell Peeta. Then we all go to the formal altogether."

I don't know what's with me but I grab my phone to call Peeta without hesitation. Normally, I second guess myself but lately I just call him when I want to. Maybe I'm getting more comfortable with him, when he told me that he wanted to get to know me more. Probably, I am getting more comfortable.

He picks up as if he's expecting my call. "Hi Peeta,"

"Katniss." He says softly.

"Madge wants us to go altogether at formal. His dad arranged a limo. What do you think?"

"Oh… but, Katniss. My dad also arranged a limo for us." I feel my eyes widen as Madge gives me a questioning look.

"J-just for u-us." I stutter.

"Well, yeah. He's very excited when I told him about us going. This is actually the first time that I attend something like this. He wants it to be special."

I can't help but grin, I notice Madge's getting really curious beside me and I shoot her a glare.

"Okay, Peeta. I'm cool with it." I still can't remove the smile on my face.

"So, I'll see you later. Oh by the way, would you mind if I wear something that will match your dress?" My smile widens and I'm feeling a slight blush in my face. I called him one night to tell him what I'll be wearing and I asked his opinion about it. I look at Madge again and see her almost dying to know what we're talking about.

"Sure Peeta, I absolutely have no problem with it. Bye." Then I hang up.

"Katniss! Oh my gosh! What was it?" she moves in her seat and the girl fixing her hair asks her politely to not move that much. Madge says sorry and I tell her everything.

* * *

The dress that my mom prepared for me is a fiery red dress with reflective gems. The dress is just above my knee, personally made by a designer whose name is Cinna. After I put on my dress, I look at my reflection through the mirror and I feel like I'm a different person. I wonder what Peeta will think about it when he sees me.

"Now Katniss, one more thing." My mother goes out of the room and when she returns she's bringing a diamond necklace.

"I want you to wear this." My father gave it to her. I get overwhelmed not because of my mom lending it to me but because for some reason I feel like dad is still here.

"Are you sure?" I ask her.

"Yeah, wear it." She smiles. "So tell me about this boy."

"Peeta?"

"Yeah." I think of the best line to describe Peeta but settle with a word. "He's perfect."

My mother smiles again. "I hope you'll have a great time with him." Even though I know that what she told me has something deeper into it, I just nod. Because within me I feel like this is just the start and there'll be more for us.

Prim enters the room giggling. "Katniss, Peeta's here."

I go down the stairs and Prim and Mom follow.

Peeta's sitting on the couch and he stands up when he sees us. He has a gentle smile on his face, different than his usual shy smile. He's wearing a suit that has red pattern on it, definitely matching my fiery gown. When I look at his face, his hair is in style. He's not wearing his glasses and I slightly blush. This is the first time that I think he looks hot rather than being cute as I always thought.

"Peeta, hi!" Prim greets him.

"Prim, how are you?" he asks.

Prim says she's good then Peeta greets my mother. Then he looks at me and smiles.

"So," he looks at me from head to toe and I try to think that Prim and Mom are not here as I smile at him. "Let's go?"

"Yeah, let's go." I reply.

Mom and Prim said goodbye to me and they told me to have fun.

A limo is waiting outside our house and I look at Peeta.

"Are you serious that it's just going to be the two of us in there?"

Peeta squints, probably trying to figure out what I was thinking.

"Yeah, why?"

"Nothing, I just feel…" I think of a word. "Special," When I said it I want to take it back.

He laughs a bit. "Well that's the point Katniss." I blush furiously. Thank God, he walks already and he doesn't see it.

We get in the limo and I'm still replaying in my mind what Peeta told me. He did this for me to feel special. Then I wonder why I have to be special?

"Katniss,"

"Yes?"

"You look really beautiful." I try not to think too much and I accept his compliment. I notice that he's not that shy to me anymore. Then I feel the need of complimenting him back.

"Well, you're not bad yourself. You look better with your hair like that." I smile then he blushes. _Now it's your turn to blush_. I think.

We didn't talk much after that and I feel like I'm wasting the opportunity of talking to him in the limo, where we're alone together. But no matter how much I forced myself to talk to him, I just can't do it without telling him what I'm feeling.

When we get to the venue of the formal, I quickly see Madge, scowling at me. But when she sees Peeta, I see the shock that she feels.

We go to them and I notice Gale, Finnick, Annie, Cato and Glimmer beside Madge.

I greet them.

They look at me then Peeta then me then Peeta then me then Peeta before Finnick finally speaks up.

"Hey!" he greets us in his cheerful tone. At first, I'm scared that he'll tell something that will embarrass me but then he continues. "You look good together." He says sincerely.

Glimmer goes to me and fixes my diamond necklace. "You look pretty Katniss," then he turns to Peeta and tells him with seduction. "And you look hot, like fire. Blonde Boy." Peeta seems to be uncomfortable, I'm about to scowl at Glimmer but Cato puts her hands on her hips. "You're not supposed to flirt with anyone but me. Okay?"

Glimmer purses her lips. "I'm not flirting with him."

"Yes, you're flirting with everybody." We turn around at the sound of a familiar voice.

Clove. I frown. _She still hasn't gotten over him. What the hell?_

"Back off, Clove." Cato says. Clove looks really hurt.

"Back off? You're telling me to back off after everything that I've given to you. After you used me for your own pleasure." I shiver at her over dramatic words.

"We won't fight with you this time, Clove." Annie says.

Delly comes out of nowhere and as usual helps Clove in bitching us. "They said that friends become friends because of their similarities and in the case of these bitches, it's their slutiness."

Madge snaps. "You know what? You 2 are like nighttime talk show. We're sick of your dramas. So why don't you step away and find another audience cause seriously, it's annoying the fuck out of us."

Gale hoots. "That's my girl." Then I notice that Delly's looking at Peeta.

"So, you got another guy, slut?"

I feel my anger rising. "Don't call me a slut!"

"Well okay," she raises an eyebrow. "Slut."

I'm about to punch her when I feel Peeta's hand at my shoulder then he tells Delly.

"Before you do something make sure you won't get yourself in trouble."

"And what will you do?" She says seductively. I suddenly feel my inner Katniss, being possessive. _Two girls talked to him seductively in less than 10 minutes_! But I held it in.

"I think you don't want to waste your dress and effort of coming here." At first, I don't get it but then he looks at Haymitch, who is beside the punch bowl.

Delly understands it. She rolls her eyes as she leaves knowing that there's no chance for her to bitch us back without getting kick out of the formal. There are only 2 of them and there are 8 of us. It's so clear that they won't win against us. Clove follows her with tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I didn't know you can speak like that, Blondie." Madge says while tapping Peeta's broad shoulders.

He just smiles as we go in the photo booth.

We all have a picture together, and then the girls and just the boys. When the boys finished taking their pictures, Peeta asks me.

"Katniss, can we have a picture. You know, just the 2 of us."

As usual, Glimmer, Annie and Madge giggle as they shout my name in a teasing way. I go beside him as he wraps his arms around my waist and we take our picture.

When we finish in the booth, the music starts playing.

I'm not sure if I should also dance or just stand in a corner and watch everyone. Glimmer, Annie and Madge are dancing and the boys join them. Peeta whispers at me.

"You're up for a dance?"

"I'm not much of a dancer. Do you want to?" I reply.

"Well, I come here to have fun." I sneak another glance at my friends and they are doing their best dance moves. Practically, everyone. I decided that yes I'll dance. I also come here to have fun. I pull Peeta's hand and we join the others. Much to my surprise, Peeta can dance and that's when I start dancing.

We all dance a little more and drink a little bit when Ms. Trinket "the rainbow" announces that the winners for the Winter Formal Prince and Princess will be revealed right now.

She starts with the freshmen. When she's about to announce the winners from the sophomores. I ask Peeta.

"Are you nominated?"

He laughs. "No."

The time comes for the juniors. I don't feel like I am nominated. I'm just completely calm when Madge and Annie seem to be really nervous and excited.

"Okay, for the Junior Winter Formal Princess. We have." She opens the envelope. "Glimmer Rambin." Glimmer screeches while Annie and Madge glare at her. She goes up the stage, grabs her crown and smirks at Annie and Madge.

"And for the Junior Winter Formal Prince. It's Cato Ludwig."

Glimmer screeches even more as Cato takes the stage.

The awarding ends and we continue to dance, a slow and sweet song is played. Everyone starts to dance with their dates.

But as I listen to the familiarity of the music. I feel warm and happy.

_My life is brilliant_

_My love is pure_

I look at Peeta, as I wrap my hands on his neck and his hands automatically go to my hips.

I'm still mesmerized to the beauty of the song and the beauty of the person standing in front of me. I'm thinking of the mixtape. He seems to be thinking of it too cause he brings it up. I'm not that shock that sometimes we're thinking the same thing. When I'm with Peeta, everything seems so normal and easy. I don't have to hide what I want to think about.

"Remember the song?"

I nod. "Yeah."

"I love all those songs."

"It actually shocks me that you listen to those kinds of songs when I think you haven't fallen in love with anyone." I tell him, testing him.

His eyes suddenly get serious and he says in a deep voice. "You think I never fall in love?"

"Yeah." I reply, even though it sort of hurts.

He sighs. "Well, have you?" He shakes his head and chuckles a bit. "Of course you do."

I frown while smiling at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Well you're beautiful and lots of boys are into you. I think it's impossible that you haven't fallen in love or even like at least one of them." But, Peeta's wrong and right at the same time. I want to tell him that I avoided most of the guys who asks me if we can go out. I also want to tell him that there's only one person I really have fallen in love into.

"Maybe" I bite my lip. "Maybe not. Though, I wonder why you picked those songs. Especially this one." Part of me is telling me that he likes me while the other part is telling me that he doesn't.

"Because I think you're beautiful." He sighs as I watch him. "I think it really suits. It suits y-y-you know." He looks at his side and avoids my eyes. This time I didn't ask him to continue, I just wait for him. I wait for him to confirm or deny what I've been wanting to hear him say since I met him. I wait for him to tell me what's his purpose for everything that he has done for me. I wait and I wait and I'm thinking that he might not feel the same feeling that I have for him but he continues.

"I think it suits what I feel about you." He looks at me and I feel my heart skip a beat. He looks into my eyes and I feel like I'm being hypnotized. "It suits what I feel about you during the first time I see you until the time I gave you that mix tape."

He opens his mouth to continue. "Katniss, do you still think, I haven't fallen in love?"

As much as I want to say yes. I want him to be the one to say it.

"I don't know, have you?"

He takes another deep breath then he blushes though his eyes are intense "Yes… I have. I have fallen in love with the girl who's standing in front of me."

My heart beats faster and I don't know what to do I want to kiss him but I know that I shouldn't do it here. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach and the feeling is so warm and nice. Something I can't explain. I want to say something, but nothing's going on in my mind except for his name and his words. I feel happy but a different kind of happiness, a calm one. I decided to let them go and I settle for a hug.

Then I tell him. "Let's ditch the formal."

He looks around and smiles at me. "Great idea."

* * *

**Yep. They already know what they feel for each other. But there'll still be a conflict. Just a small one. But it will make their relationship stronger. Don't worry there'll be NO third party, cheating or anything. **


	11. Chapter 11

**FORGIVE ME IF YOU'RE EXPECTING SOMETHING MORE FROM THIS CHAPTER BUT THIS IS JUST A SHORT ONE. I JUST WANT TO SHOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF EVERYONE AND A FORESHADOWING ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT CHAPTER. DON'T HATE ME FOR IT. :)))))) Anyway, I'm sorry for any grammatical errors or wrong spelling. English is not my first language but i'm trying. **

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Chapter 11

_"It's annoying that we always have to sneak out." I complained. _

_"But, it's always worth it." Peeta said._

_I can't deny it so I just kept quiet, though i can't hide the blush in my face. While we were walking, he stopped and when I looked at him. I noticed that he was nervous._

_"Peeta, you okay?" He hesitates to answer_

_"Peeta?"_

_He sighs. "Katniss can i ask you ...something?"_

_I felt slightly nervous but I nodded._

_"Can I share my first kiss with you?" He smiled shyly and I was not sure how to react about that. My ability to talk faded so I let my lips reply to him. I leaned in and kissed him. I felt his inexperienced as he stiffly responded to my kiss. After a while, I pulled away and looked him straight in his eyes._

_"What do you think?" He kissed me again for his answer. "Do you want to be my girlfriend?" I didn't wait any further to answer and I quickly replied._

_"I will be honored to." _

I stop replaying my kiss with Peeta. I look at him and I'm not sure if I'll ever get use to him being by my side. I know that I have to but I can't help but think that this is just one of my daydreams that I think about at night. Only his kisses are the proofs that I am not daydreaming. Another proof is that I still find myself smiling at the thought of us ditching everyone in the formal and him asking me if I want to be his girlfriend.

2 weeks Christmas vacation means 2 weeks of being alone with Peeta. But I don't want to look like a clingy girlfriend, so I sometimes spend time with either Glimmer, Annie or Madge. The 3 got a love life too and they don't want to be clingy too. So when we don't want to spend time with our boys we hang out.

I've known a lot of stuffs about Peeta like how he always double knot his shoe laces and he always sleeps with his windows open. I found them all odd but he makes me realize that odd can be sometimes beautiful. I can feel Peeta's eyes on me as we watch TV. Well, I can't really say we without including Prim who is sitting between us. She's starting to doze off and I find it a great time for us to leave. I stand up and point at the backdoor and Peeta follows.

Finnick is hosting yet another party and as much as I don't want to go, Annie forced me. Peeta drives to Finnick's house and I actually kind of feeling this New Year's Eve Party.

"I'm actually nervous." Peeta says.

"Huh. Why?"

"Katniss, this is my first party." I smile at the thought of someone asking him about his first party and how sure I am that I will be included in that story.

"Don't worry, it'll just be like drinking a cough syrup." And when it comes out of my mouth. I have no idea where the hell I get it.

He grinds his teeth. "Well, I'll try not to be."

When we get to Finnick's house, we are welcomed by of course Finnick. Sometimes I wonder where his parents are. He always seems to have a party or be in a party.

He gives us both a hug which is in a way disturbing since he smells like booze. "You sweet little couple, I thought you won't go near my radar. Come in."

The music is so loud, people are either making out or drinking. I look up at Peeta.

"What do you think?"

He shrugs. "I don't know I prepared being alone with you than being around with many people." I blush even though he's just wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"Don't worry, we'll leave when it starts to get boring."

There's a loud shout at the backyard and I pull Peeta to see what it is.

"FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT."

I see Glimmer and Clove. I roll my eyes. I'm really getting sick of their fight. Why can't just Clove move on and find another guy?

"C'mon. Fight me just one last time, if you win I'll stop." Clove demands.

Cato is arguing with Glimmer about ignoring Clove. But I know Glimmer, she'll probably do it.

"Cato, I can handle her. Don't worry."

"Yeah, Cato. Why don't you let her fight me? C'mon." Clove shouts.

The people around her start shouting again. FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

Cato shrugs. I whisper at Peeta.

"I'll just get some beer."

"No, I'll get it." He says.

"No, you stay here." I smile.

And I leave.

I go to the kitchen to get beer from the fridge when I hear a familiar voice down the hall. I grab 2 bottles of beer and I follow the voice. The voice is coming out in a room and I chuckle a bit.

I open it and Madge shouts. Gale is on top of her his eyes wide. I pretend to look shock but I quickly replace it with a smirk.

"Okay, you continue." Then I close the door laughing.

I hear another familiar voice at another room and I decided not to disturb them. Who knows in what state Annie and Finnick are already.

I return to Peeta.

"Glimmer might lose." He says.

I look at the fighting scene and Glimmer is on the ground and Clove is above her.

"Where's loverboy?"

Glimmer laughs "That's a line from a movie." Then she grabs Clove's dress then rips it off. Clove stands up and when she realizes that everyone can see her little girls and everyone is looking at it she leaves crying, again.

I laugh while watching Cato and Glimmer kiss.

Glimmer waves at me and shouts. "I'm awesome right?"

I give her a thumbs up with a matching smirk.

After the fight we play games and dance and drink. Peeta seems to be having a good time he will eventually be out of my sight then I'll find him refilling his cup or checking out the CDs for songs. I never know that it's almost New Year till someone shouts.

"GUYS, 1 MINUTE TO NEW YEAR."

Everyone starts to join the countdown. I see Madge and Gale together and I shout at them. "Nice fuck up hair." I don't have to see their expressions cause I already know it.

I turn to look at Peeta and see girls flirting with him. He looks uncomfortable and this makes the possessive Katniss mad.

10. 9. 8. I wrap my arms around Peeta and he faces me.

7. 6. 5. He hugs me back and he smiles

4. 3. 2. I smile back at him and look at the other girls

1. And I kiss Peeta

Everyone cheers for New Year while I keep my lips on Peeta's. The kiss is the same feeling as it was the first time. It's warm and nice and I just simply can't get enough of it. He ends the kiss and looks at me intensely.

"Well, this is a great start for a new year."

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**Next chapter will be better than this one. Anyway, advance Happy New Year. Review for suggestions and your opinion. :)))))))))**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for late update. I've been really busy in school. I was up to a lot of stuffs lately. :))) Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Though i'll give you a warning that it's annoying.**

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I'm feeling a little bit out of place, considering the fact that my friends are with someone while I am not. Peeta has a morning routine of talking to Haymitch. He told me that he would stop doing that so he can be with me but I said it was okay since I didn't want him to break his routine and I didn't want to look like a clingy girlfriend, that's why I let him continue it even though I didn't really like it.

Cato has his arms wrapped around Glimmer's shoulders. Finnick and Annie are holding hands, while Madge and Gale are discreetly stealing glances at each other. While I end up holding tighter in my bag and rolling my eyes a lot of times. We go to our lockers and from a distance I can hear a girl speaking loudly to Cato and Glimmer. I don't have to look to know who it is.

"Crap! I'll be losing 50 bucks." she says.

Glimmer asks the obvious question. "What?"

This time, i turned around to get a clear look on what's happening.

Clove lifts her chin angrily as she explains. "There was a betting about how long you'll end up together and I bet that you won't make it until January 2. " She looks at her side. "The day after..." Then she walks out.

I laugh. I wonder what's up with Clove and why she's taking a long time to get over Cato. She's pretty somehow and I guess there are boys who like her. I remove Clove from my mind and I hear Glimmer tell Cato.

"I never knew about that betting." she says stupidly which made me laugh harder.

I was expecting Cato to roll his eyes or whatever but he says innocently. "Yeah me too."

I laughed a little more and I told myself that, that was the reason why Cato and Glimmer are perfect for each other. Everytime I hear them talk to each other, it was either about batman or unicorns. They have lots of similarities. This makes me think of Peeta and how opposite we are.

I go to my first class which was Arts. When I entered the classroom, I saw Madge pointing at the chair at her left. Gale is sitting beside her and I said hi to them as I sit down. I prepared myself for a horrible hour as I waited for Effie-rainbow to come. I swear to God I prefer to have a journey with a giraffe right now than hear rainbow talk about her nail polish.

Luckily and I guess God doesn't want me to travel with a giraffe afterall, Haymitch is the one who enters the room. He's scowling and i think he's been interrupted to his secret drinking session by someone to go to us.

"Well, I didn't have time to call for a substitute," which I translated to _I was too lazy to call for a substitute._ "That's why you'll be watching a movie. Ms. Effie is not around." I shout out of happiness and the others follow. Everyone is irritated by her. "Yeah, I know kids, she's probably having a bad hair day that's why she's not here. Anyway, the movie that you'll be watching is about a guy and a girl who became a couple because the guy got rejected by the girl that he wanted to go to prom with but he got insisted by his friends to go with the girl's friend..." I tuned Haymitch out and looked at Gale and Madge, who were surprisingly listening attentively to Haymitch. I snapped my finger and they looked at me at the same time.

"That sounds like your story, huh." I said with a smirk and a knowing look.

Madge looked at me in disgust. "No way, my story with Gale was much much much better."

The movie started and Haymitch gave me the look that was telling me to go outside. And of course I did.

We walked in the corridor without words. I looked at the field and much to my shock. I saw Finnick and Annie making out instead of running for gym. I looked away and sighed. I knew why Haymitch called me, probably Peeta was in his office and Peeta either wanted me there or Haymitch wanted me to be there with Peeta. We entered his office and the first thing that I saw, was a guy fixing his hair. A guy who used to have glasses and lanky and long arms. His clothing definitely changed, from plain white shirt, he was now wearing a cool fitted polo shirt. His hair was not messy and most shockingly he dyed it dark. His face was exuding a different expression and I felt my breath shortened.

I just kept looking at him and him looking at me until Haymitch spoke.

"So are you just gonna stare at each other or you'll leave my office so you can have time together?"

I was smiling brightly as I pulled Peeta's hand. For 2 weeks, he had managed to make himself not look so skinny. He had muscled but it was kinda like Francisco Lachowski's. He looked skinny but he was muscular. He was a brunette now and it got him out of the pretty boy look. He looked hot and manly now. I looked at him from head to toe one more time and said.

"Wow! Is that really you Peeta?"

He kissed me lightly. "Yeah, it's still me." His voice was the only thing that you can say was still like the old Peeta. "Do you like it?"

I nodded and he kissed my cheeks. "So this was what you were doing in France, huh?

He laughed and like what we were always doing we sneaked out.

* * *

The next day, Peeta picked me up from our house. Prim looked at him and she blushed. I smiled at Peeta as he started driving.

"Looks like I'm competing with my sister for your attention now."

He laughed. "Oh c'mon, my attention is always focused on you, only you."

When we get to school, I quickly felt the stare of the students on us, mostly the girls' stares on Peeta. I wanted to glare at them but I thought it was not a good idea.

We were in my locker and I asked Peeta. "You wanna eat lunch with us today?"

He smiled at me. "Sure."

When he left, Madge and Annie automatically grabbed my arm.

"Was that Peeta?" Annie asked.

"Yep, sure that was him." I said with a smile.

We walked to go to the wash room and Madge was telling us that he knew he would be hot with a makeover. "His eyes and hair were too light that was why it was hard to really see the beauty of his eyes. Now that he dyed it black, it made his eyes stood out."

"I know right. I heard about it yesterday but I didn't believe them." Annie said. She checked herself on the mirror and put a red lipstick. "Finnick loved it like this. Anyway, Peeta was close to being Finnick with that look."

I just nodded because I was not sure if I was really glad about what was happening now. Peeta told me that he only got his eyes on me but that didn't change the fact that now, every girl's eyes were on him. It was harder when there were lots of sluts around who will flirt Peeta for sure.

The 2 girls seemed to notice my worried expression and they asked me, why wasn't I happy for having a hot boyfriend.

"It's not always about hotness, you know." I was about to walk out the door when I heard some girls talking.

"I'll wait for them to break up then I can get Peeta."

* * *

Sluts! That's exactly what I was thinking when I saw girls all over Peeta. I can feel my ears getting red and I held onto the table to prevent myself from doing something ridiculously out of jealousy. He looked uncomfortable and he kept on smiling fakely. He looked at us for help. I was about to stand up when Finnick stopped me and he talked to the girls.

"Hey girls." Their attention was now on Finnick, who was giving them a sexual look. "Wanna come to the janitor's closet with me?"

I think the girls were about to nod when Annie shouted. "Finnick!"

Finnick shifted his sexual look to Annie and I can see the effect that it has on her.

"Guys let me handle this." Madge announced and she snapped. "Get out of our table or you'll see three stars above your brainless heads."

It worked and the girls stomped out of the cafeteria. Peeta apologized to me and I told him that he has nothing to be sorry about. "Plus you're not doing anything." I smiled. "Except for being hot."

He winked at me he moved closer to kiss me. Though we were interrupted by the people around the table who pretended to cough.

Cato spoke. "So Peeta?"

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Do you play any sports?"

"Yeah." Really? I tried to think of a moment where Peeta told me that he plays sports, but it's not hard to imagine when he has 2 brothers who are for sure athletic.

"Do you know how to play football?"

"Yeah. Are you asking me to join the football team."

Cato seemed to be excited, while Finnick and Gale were looking at Peeta wide eye. Peeta looked at me, probably asking for permission. If it was up to me, I'll probably won't let him for some unknown reasons. But then again, who am I to tell Peeta what he should do? So even though I'm doubting it I nodded.

"Yeah sure. I mean, you don't have to ask permission from me, you know."

Peeta smiled happily and now I can see, that he might have really wanted to join. He talked to the boys and I was left wondering, do I like the Peeta with blonde hair or the Peeta with dark hair.

* * *

Like what I expected, Peeta got in the team. They have practice today. Peeta, Finnick, Cato and Gale are all in the team. Glimmer, Annie and Madge already left home or shopping but they'll return here in school after the practice.**  
**

Peeta told me how much he really wanted to join the football team but he was too scared that he won't get accepted, I play the supportive girlfriend role and I told him that I was really happy for him about it. Though, Peeta might have seen the worry in my eyes and he asked me.

"Are you sure Katniss?"

I scowled a little bit. "Of course. I am ha.."

"No, Katniss. Are you sure you want me here?"

To be honest, I didn't want Peeta to join the team though I'm really happy for him because he's now doing what he wants to do.

"Of course, Peeta." I run my fingers through his now dark hair and I kissed him.

He pulled away then he asked me if I want him to drop me off my house.

I shove his shoulders jokingly. "Oh c'mon. You can't skip training. You just get in."

He chuckled. "Okay. Okay. So I guess, I'll just pass by your house later or I'll just call you."

I nodded and he kissed me one more time.

* * *

Annie, Glimmer and Madge are still not around to give me a ride. That's why I called Gloss to pick me up. My worry seemed to be so obvious because even Gloss noticed it. I told him I was okay.

When we get to the house, I went straight to Prim's room. She was doing her homework and I asked her if she needed help.

"No thanks, Katniss." She squinted at me. "It might be you who needed help."

I looked at the mirror at her room and I only now noticed that my worry was all over my face. I quickly changed my expression but I told her why.

"Wasn't that selfish?" she asked.

"I know it was very selfish. But I don't know."

She played with her braids and I felt like I was 12 and she was 45. She talked like she was older than our mother even the way she thinks was like she has lived for 100 years.

"Maybe Katniss, you're scared that he'll eventually change and he'll forget about you."

I blushed and deep inside I realized she was right.

"Maybe you're scared to lose him." She stood up and sit on her bed beside me. "But you have to accept the things that are happening around you."

"I don't know Prim. I really don't know."

Prim sighed. "Katniss, if you really love him, you'll have faith in him. And if he really loves you, he'll do the same."

"Then what do you think should I do?" I felt so vulnerable that I was the one asking advice from my little sister instead of the other way around. I suddenly felt ashame and I told her that she didn't need to answer my question.

"Katniss, it's okay." She sighed one more. "You should just be yourself Katniss. That's the best thing you can do. Be true to yourself."

With that, I left her room and I saw the mixtape that he gave me before. That moment seemed to still be fresh in my mind and I can exactly recall how it happened. I listened to each songs again and I was taken back to time with each song that was played. Lunch. Detention. Tutorial. Dinner. Formal. Party. All of those came surging through me one by one and I felt lonely. But this time, I knew why I felt that way. Even if it just happened for a week. I already missed my blonde boy with blue eyes.

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**Next chapter will be Valentines Day. I know it's super late. But anyway, thanks for reading and review and suggest stuffs. :)))))))) **


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